Bill would expand GARVEE bonding…

Sen. John McGee, R-Caldwell, has persuaded the Senate State Affairs Committee to introduce a bill - though he said he doesn’t plan to proceed further with it this year - to issue additional GARVEE bonds to upgrade ailing Idaho bridges. The measure calls for issuing another $140 million in bonds, which is the remaining bonding capacity in the program under current state law. “This is just to begin the discussion,” McGee said. Though his bill would target the money to bridges, lawmakers may want to discuss other uses, including finishing some of the existing corridors in the bonding program, he said.