We Can’t Plan by Looking through the Rear View Mirror

COMPASS’ demographics expert, Carl Miller, often says that planning for the future by looking through the rear view mirror only works as long as the road is straight. And…we all know the road is anything but straight.

Many, many things will change in the next 10, 20, or 30 years that will significantly impact life in the Treasure Valley – rapid growth, changing household dynamics, new technologies, and changes in how we travel among home, work, shopping, and recreation…or if we even need to leave home at all.

Despite these uncertainties…or, because of them…COMPASS is updating its long-range transportation plan so that the region is prepared for a future that is markedly different from today.

To do that, we need your help. Our staff can analyze data and national trends until they are blue in the face, but those trends don’t tell us what Treasure Valley residents – you – want for your future.

• What type of house or neighborhood will you choose to live in?
• Will your commute and work schedule stay the same as today, or will you be working from home or using an alternate work schedule, such as 4-10s?
• Do you see yourself relying on home delivery of groceries in the years to come, or do you prefer to thump your own cantaloupe or pick that perfect steak?
• Are you ready to jump into a car that drives itself, or do you prefer to be in control behind the wheel?

We’re asking you to help us plan for your future by helping us understand what you see your future looking like.

Take five minutes to visit www.compassidaho.org and answer a few fun, interactive questions to make sure your voice is part of the conversation, then share the link with your friends and family. The more people that weigh in, the better we can plan.

There are no right or wrong answers and you don’t need to be an expert or do any homework to participate. Everyone’s input helps paint a picture of what the Treasure Valley could look like by the year 2050.

Please participate by November 3, 2019, to ensure your voice is heard.

It’s quick, easy, and anonymous…and it makes a difference. Thank you.

Be Part of the Solution – End Distracted Driving

Labor Day weekend wrapped up Idaho’s “100 deadliest days” – the period from Memorial Day through Labor Day when Idaho experiences the most deaths on the road. While I don’t have the final statistics yet as I write this, I know, just from watching the news, that this has been a heartbreaking summer for many Idaho families who lost loved ones.

Joel Feldman experienced that heartbreak in 2009, when his daughter Casey was killed by a distracted driver. Since that time, Mr. Feldman’s has dedicated himself to raising awareness about the dangers of distracted driving. He is the creator of EndDD.org, “End Distracted Driving,” and has developed science-based distracted driving presentations as well as other resources used by businesses, schools, and community groups in educational initiatives.

You can be part of the solution:

• Set your phone to “do not disturb” so you are not tempted to answer it
• Select your music before you leave home – don’t try to find a new radio channel or change a CD while you are driving
• Put down that sandwich – you can eat when you arrive
• Get up five minutes earlier, so you are ready when you leave the house – no putting on mascara or last-minute shaving in the driver’s seat
• Attend a presentation by Joel Feldman on September 9 to hear his message and learn more actions you can take a to save a life
• Take your commitment one step further — become a speaker to help share the message of how to end distracted driving by participating in a speaker training workshop on September 10

The presentation and workshop are being presented as part of COMPASS’ 2019 education series, with assistance from the Idaho Transportation Department’s Office of Highway Safety. 

Find the details and RSVP here: www.compassidaho.org/comm/publicevents_2019_ed_series.html

You have the power to save a life. Be part of the solution to end distracted driving.