Idaho joint budget committee adopts $1.25B transportation budget

BOISE — The joint budget committee approved the first billion-dollar budget for the Idaho Transportation Department on Thursday, thanks to $200 million in state general fund support.

The committee adopted a $1.25 billion fiscal 2023 budget for the agency. That includes $396 million in federal funding and $856 million in dedicated funds.

Overall, that’s an increase of $399 million, or 46.8% over the initial 2022 budget.

Much of the increase stems from a $200 million transfer from the general fund to the Strategic Initiatives Program and Local Highway Distribution dedicated accounts.

Sixty percent of that, or $120 million, will be used to address the maintenance backlog on state roads and bridges; the remaining $80 million will go toward local road and bridge projects.

With the state looking at a potential $1.9 billion surplus this year, Gov. Brad Little recommended that the money be used to make “historic, once-in-a-lifetime” investments in education, transportation and other infrastructure projects, as well as historic tax relief.

In addition to Thursday’s action, the joint budget committee previously approved the governor’s recommendation to provide another $200 million in one-time general fund support to improve local bridges.

Spence may be contacted at bspence@lmtribune.com or (208) 791-9168.