Boise Transportation Thread - Page 34

BoiseBMW · #**661** Posted **Jul 14, 2014, 10:04 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boisebro

the answers you seek lie within.

Thanks you so much!

So it's not fully funded it appears, so it's completion date is TBD?

Boisebro · #**662** Posted **Jul 14, 2014, 10:30 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by BoiseBMW

Thanks you so much!

So it's not fully funded it appears, so it's completion date is TBD?

don't think it is funded, and probably a long way away from being completed. but they were able to get the bridge over the river done, which was likely the biggest hurdle or challenge.

the bridge's ribbon cutting will take place next month on August 15th, per their site: http://centralvalleyexpressway.com/?p=471

a nice view of the progress:

boi2socal · #**663** Posted **Jul 16, 2014, 12:59 AM**

Children 20/26 should be a freeway. There isn't much to miss.

Visualize · #**664** Posted **Jul 16, 2014, 1:50 AM**

Thinking "Big Picture", Chinden should only be a freeway west of HP. The bulk of Garden City Chinden should be long range planned as a streetcar route that connects to Downtown Boise. Since Garbage City is so small, it has the potential to be a large urban redevelopment district strictly by its nature, investing most of its tax revenue into the main gridded portion of the city, potentially becoming an urban paradise in the next 50-75 years.

“A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in.” -Greek Proverb

Boiseguy · #**665** Posted **Jul 16, 2014, 6:30 AM**

I think chinden should be a freeway as well… everything essentially south of chinden a couple blocks could be leveled (its vacant old car lots or dodgy hotels anyway)
I see state street as being a better option for streetcar or rail…Highway 44 and chinden could both be freeways that merge together near HP into the one corridor into downtown…..that would essentially re-align 44 off of Glendwood and allow for state and glen wood to be serviced by a rail corridor…

I however disagree, I think Garden City needs to be annexed by Boise…as well as southwest Ada County Alliance.. between just those two.. it would increase boise's population by 70K and both places are essentially boise anyway.. so why have all the layers of opposing government bodies.. all in boise allows for better streamlined planning for the valley… Hell I'd advocate for Meridian and Eagle to be annexed as well…it's all one big blob of continuous urbanity anyway

boi2socal · #**666** Posted **Jul 16, 2014, 8:10 AM**

Perhaps for the transport thread but I've been in Boise for the last couple weeks and if the Boise Area has another major boom, roads will be gridlocked in a snap. I noticed that roads are busy nearly all day now. The rush hour congestion time period is still relatively limited, but there needs to be another East/West freeway. They keep pushing North/South or a far south I-84 alternative. I think turning 20/26 into a freeway from I-84 to I-184 is a better option for local commuters. However, I'm sure this would be incredibly expensive with eminent domain and lawsuits with all the high end communities along this route.

Evo5Boise · #**667** Posted **Jul 17, 2014, 5:37 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by boi2socal

Perhaps for the transport thread but I've been in Boise for the last couple weeks and if the Boise Area has another major boom, roads will be gridlocked in a snap. I noticed that roads are busy nearly all day now. The rush hour congestion time period is still relatively limited, but there needs to be another East/West freeway. They keep pushing North/South or a far south I-84 alternative. I think turning 20/26 into a freeway from I-84 to I-184 is a better option for local commuters. However, I'm sure this would be incredibly expensive with eminent domain and lawsuits with all the high end communities along this route.

I feel as if Boise has really screwed themselves road infrastructure wise. Or should I say Ada County? Both maybe.

BNF · #**668** Posted **Jul 18, 2014, 3:17 AM**

This is going back a ways, but does anyone else think I-11 is kind of a weird name? Something like I-9 flows a lot better.

BOI-IDA · #**669** Posted **Jul 18, 2014, 5:09 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by BNF

This is going back a ways, but does anyone else think I-11 is kind of a weird name? Something like I-9 flows a lot better.

It may sound a bit weird, but geographically speaking, it fits well with the Interstate numbering system.

Between I-5 and I-15 there are, as you know, four numbers available, 7, 9, 11, & 13.

California is currently working on bringing Route 99 up to Interstate standards from it's southern terminus at Wheeler Ridge north to where it rejoins I-5 at Sacramento. Once completed, there is talk of renaming it I-7 or I-9. IMO, it would make more sense to designate it as I-7, since it is highly unlikely that a third north/south freeway would be built between it and I-5.

That would allow the I-9 designation to be used for US-395 in California from Hesperia to Bishop, if and when that stretch is ever built-out (not likely).

Alternatively, US-97 from Weed, California to Yakima (a heavily traveled truck route) could become a future I-9, or a continuation of I-7 (not likely to happen either).

US-95, as previously discussed, would eventually be built and designated as I-11.

Finally, the US-93/US-6/NV-318/US-93 corridor from Twin Falls to north of Las Vegas could become a future I-13. (not likely to happen either, although it too is an important and heavily traveled truck and tourist route).

boi2socal · #**670** Posted **Jul 18, 2014, 10:38 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by BOI-IDA

Finally, the US-93/US-6/NV-318/US-93 corridor from Twin Falls to north of Las Vegas could become a future I-13. (not likely to happen either, although it too is an important and heavily traveled truck and tourist route).

I recently traveled this route and 75% of the plates were Idaho on the highway. Just shows how sparsely populated Nevada is outside of Vegas and Reno.

Evo5Boise · #**671** Posted **Jul 18, 2014, 10:46 PM**

I always wondered why they never made/planned some new interstate systems around the west. Boise/Reno Boise/Eugene Boise/Las Vegas would all be great. lol

BOI-IDA · #**672** Posted **Jul 18, 2014, 11:55 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Evo5Boise

I always wondered why they never made/planned some new interstate systems around the west. Boise/Reno Boise/Eugene Boise/Las Vegas would all be great. lol

I guess the planners back in the late 1950's and early 1960's never figured there wouldn't be much growth out west. One really can't blame them for that, since back then, and even today, much of the west is sparsely populated.

As boi2socal pointed out, outside of Vegas and Reno, Nevada is quite sparse, as is Oregon east of the Cascades, and Utah away from the Wasatch Front.

Still, though, you go east of the Mississippi and some of the north/south Interstates are less than 100 miles apart. Meanwhile the gap between I-5 and I-15 is close to 600 miles in places. We definitely need I-11.

Evo5Boise · #**673** Posted **Jul 19, 2014, 6:05 PM**

Yeah not to mention I am sure the terrain out west makes things more difficult. Still, I can't help but think there are some areas out her an interstate could really do wonders for. Not to mention help cut travel time.

isangpogi · #**674** Posted **Jul 26, 2014, 1:41 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Evo5Boise

I feel as if Boise has really screwed themselves road infrastructure wise. Or should I say Ada County? Both maybe.

I disagree, turn Chinden into a freeway and watch the city sprawl like mad out in that direction. Keep it as it is, and as the population increases, people will be forced to choose between crowded commutes to the suburbs or shorter commutes to higher-density, transit-oriented neighborhoods.

What do we want Boise to become? A mini Portland or a mini SLC? I've seen the future of urban planning and it's called Vancouver.

boisecynic · #**675** Posted **Jul 26, 2014, 2:12 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by isangpogi

I disagree, turn Chinden into a freeway and watch the city sprawl like mad out in that direction. Keep it as it is, and as the population increases, people will be forced to choose between crowded commutes to the suburbs or shorter commutes to higher-density, transit-oriented neighborhoods.

What do we want Boise to become? A mini Portland or a mini SLC? I've seen the future of urban planning and it's called Vancouver.

While I doubt it's feasible to make Chinden or State a freeway anytime soon if ever, the sprawl is already here and there's more to come. You're assuming people have a choice. As long as zoning remains R1 and R2 in much of inner Boise people really have no choice but to move to the suburbs. And any attempt to densify the north end would probably result in the ouster of a Mayor and a few councilors.

I saw it happen in DC. DC/MD/VA had the don't build it (freeways) and they won't come attitude for decades and BAM people still came, by the millions, literally. Now the DC area arguably has the worst traffic in the nation. Words really can't describe what it's like to have to commute 20 or 30 miles there. And this is despite a pretty excellent metro system.

So I don't know, I don't have the answers. But the suburbs will continue to grow whether there's more freeways built or not.

BNF · #**676** Posted **Jul 26, 2014, 4:10 AM**

So the 80 mph is official now? Does anyone know what stretches have been actually changed?

isangpogi · #**677** Posted **Jul 26, 2014, 11:38 PM**

ATL service possibly making a comeback?

http://www.ktvb.com/story/money/2014...anta/13181729/

Boiseguy · #**678** Posted **Jul 27, 2014, 12:42 AM**

going back to the freeway topic… the more I think about it, and the more I consider what really will happen vs what needs to happen, perhaps it's time that boise and the treasure valley begin looking strongly at commuter rail again. The congestion on I-84 has gotten really bad for a city of this size due to geographic layout and lack of any other option. We do need another east west freeway route north of I-84 but given the expense of such a project, and the lack of planning for such a corridor, perhaps commuter rail would be the way to ease congestion. I know that we are a car culture city for the most part, but perhaps the congestion and constant sitting on I-84 every other day might just be enough to make people consider the option if it was available. perhaps an updated survey would be in order?

isangpogi · #**679** Posted **Jul 27, 2014, 2:29 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by BNF

So the 80 mph is official now? Does anyone know what stretches have been actually changed?

My understanding is that all previously 75mph stretches on 84, 86 and 15 are now 80. Hard to tell though from the next state over haha.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boiseguy

going back to the freeway topic… the more I think about it, and the more I consider what really will happen vs what needs to happen, perhaps it's time that boise and the treasure valley begin looking strongly at commuter rail again. The congestion on I-84 has gotten really bad for a city of this size due to geographic layout and lack of any other option. We do need another east west freeway route north of I-84 but given the expense of such a project, and the lack of planning for such a corridor, perhaps commuter rail would be the way to ease congestion. I know that we are a car culture city for the most part, but perhaps the congestion and constant sitting on I-84 every other day might just be enough to make people consider the option if it was available. perhaps an updated survey would be in order?

Would LOVE to see some better thought-out transit systems along the lines of commuter rail and bus rapid transit lines. I know one hurdle for expanded transit is the nonexistence of local option sales tax in Idaho.

I'm not anti-freeway, they're imperative for efficiently moving people and goods around the country. They do have consequences though when overbuilt in urban areas, like sprawl and slicing through neighborhoods. The photo of the central valley expressway is a good example. It's just farmland, but imagine if that had been erected through a city. It's essentially an impermeable wall cutting through the area. I don't have all the answers either, but I would be firmly opposed to building a freeway along the state st. or chinden alignments.

boi2socal · #**680** Posted **Jul 30, 2014, 6:32 AM**

Even with a local option sales tax I'm not sure any sales tax increase for transit would pass. I mean many communities around here won't even pass school levies. I think public transit will be a hard sale here. In part because of the people that continue to move to Idaho. Most Suburban Californians move to places like Idaho so they can buy bigger houses, leave their sprinklers on all day, and drive their SUVs in less traffic. Additionally, more people are retiring here and older folks tend to be more conservative. I have a successful real estate friend who sells new homes throughout the Valley and Meridian is seeing an influx buyer of families from Utah apparently.

I agree freeways can be very negative, but in 20-30 years (maybe far less) if there is only one east-west freeway traffic will be an absolute nightmare with or without better public transit. Even making Chinden from 184 to Eagle Road a freeway or expressway would have little neighborhood impact. Most of Garden City is run down and I noticed that other parts of the Valley seem to be doing fine while Chinden still has a large amount of empty/abandoned store fronts.