If you’ve ever driven through Northern Idaho—specifically around the Lewiston and Moscow area—and made it through a complex intersection without a hitch, you probably owe a silent thanks to Dale Moore. Most people don't think about the person who keeps the green lights humming or makes sure the crosswalk signals don't glitch out. We just drive. But inside the Idaho Transportation Department (ITD), Dale Moore became something of a quiet legend over his thirty-plus years of service.
He wasn't some suit sitting in a high-rise office in Boise. Honestly, Dale was the guy in the high-vis vest who actually knew how the hardware worked. He spent decades as a traffic signal electrician and technician, primarily in ITD’s District 2.
Why Dale Moore Matters to Idaho Roads
It’s easy to overlook a maintenance worker. That is, until the power goes out or a controller box gets fried by a summer storm. Dale wasn't just fixing things; he was obsessed with the "why" behind the traffic flow. He spent years working with the National Institute for Advanced Transportation Technology (NIATT) at the University of Idaho.
Think about that for a second. A state technician wasn't just pulling wires; he was helping researchers and engineering students understand the practical application of electronics. He taught at the annual Traffic Signal Summer Workshop. He basically bridged the gap between academic theory and the messy reality of Idaho’s highways.
Safety Isn't Just a Buzzword
Around 2017, the department named him the Safety Person of the Year. It’s the kind of award that usually gets a polite clap and a certificate, but for Dale, it was about a career-long push to keep his crew alive. He actually wrote several of the safety policies for District 2. Specifically, he pioneered the first lockout/tagout policy for the region.
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If you aren't familiar with industrial safety, "lockout/tagout" is the literal difference between life and death when working on electrical systems. It ensures machines don't suddenly energize while someone is elbow-deep in the wiring.
"Safety is really a mindset," he once said. "It’s not always convenient, but it sure is nice to go home after work." That’s the core of it. No corporate fluff. Just the reality of a guy who wanted his team to survive the shift.
The Two Moores: A Bit of Confusion
If you’re digging into ITD records, you might run into another name: Matthew "Matt" Moore. It gets a little confusing because they both have deep roots in the Idaho Transportation Department.
- Dale Moore: The hands-on signal expert, safety advocate, and District 2 mainstay.
- Matt Moore: The policy guy. He became the Administrator for the Division of Planning and Programming. Matt was instrumental in the "Idaho 2030" visioning process.
While Matt was looking at the 30-year horizon for the state’s infrastructure, Dale was making sure the intersection at the bottom of the hill worked right now. Both were essential, but they operated in completely different worlds of the ITD ecosystem.
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Teaching the Next Generation
One of the coolest things about Dale’s career was his stint at Lewis-Clark State College. He didn't just work his 9-to-5 and head home to watch TV. He spent his evenings teaching electronics courses. He was a practitioner-teacher.
When you have someone who has seen every way a circuit can fail in the field, they become an invaluable resource for students. He would take NIATT students on field trips to look at controller boxes in Moscow. Most people see a metal box on a street corner and ignore it. Dale saw a complex computer system that dictated the movement of thousands of people.
What We Can Learn From the ITD Veterans
The story of Dale Moore isn't a flashy one. There are no scandals or massive political blowouts. It’s just the story of a guy who did a technical, dangerous job exceptionally well for three decades.
Infrastructure in Idaho is a massive undertaking. We’re talking about 12,000 lane miles and nearly 2,000 bridges. It’s easy to focus on the big budget fights in the legislature, but the real work happens in the district shops.
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Actionable Takeaways from Dale’s Career
If you’re looking at how the Idaho Transportation Department operates or if you’re interested in a career in public works, Dale’s trajectory offers some real-world lessons:
Practical Expertise Trumps Theory The reason the University of Idaho kept asking Dale to speak wasn't because he had the most degrees, but because he had the most "dirt-under-the-nails" experience. If you’re in a technical field, find ways to share the practical side of your work.
Safety Is a Personal Responsibility Don't wait for a corporate mandate to make your workplace safer. Dale wrote the policies because he saw a need. If you see a gap in how your team stays safe, be the one to document the fix.
Mentorship Extends Your Legacy Dale Moore retired (or moved toward it) with a legacy not just of fixed signals, but of trained technicians. By teaching at the college and the summer workshops, he ensured his knowledge didn't vanish when he turned in his keys.
Understand Your Local District ITD is split into six districts. If you have a problem with a road or a signal, knowing your district—like Dale’s District 2—is the fastest way to get a resolution. These offices have more autonomy than most people realize.
Next time you’re sitting at a red light in Lewiston, think about the decades of work that went into making sure that light turns green exactly when it’s supposed to. It’s the result of people like Dale Moore doing the heavy lifting behind the scenes.