Boise Transportation Thread

[BoiseAirport]

Originally Posted by BOI-IDA

Perhaps they should concentrate on making the Broadway bridge a vehicle-only bridge, with an "adequate" sidewalk on the east side.

They could then build a nice, wide stand-alone pedestrian bridge on the west side that is capable of handling high volumes of foot traffic, such as occurs before and after football games.

It might be cheaper that way too, because pedestrian bridges don't have to be built to handle heavy trucks.

I like this idea a lot.

LOL, there was a massive pedestrian bridge proposed in Tucson a while back and it always makes me laugh. On a scorching summer day in the desert, one looks at it and thinks, "hallelujah, look at that huge bridge, there must be a big body of water right there!" And then imagine your disappointment when you see all it crosses is a highway.



I do think a much scaled down version of that design could be really nice. Broadway is a major gateway to downtown so I think it would be really to have at least one bridge have a little pizzazz to it. Even if it was something as simple as this:

[City Of Trees]

Something else that they mentioned is that expanding the right of way for any reason (wider bridge, ped crossing) is verboten on the west side, because (for I think historical purposes), condemning or moving the church on the southwest corner is completely off the table. Any expansion would have to come on the east side, which of course is not the side BSU is on.

However, there's nothing that says that a separate ped/bike bridge has to be right next to the Broadway Bridge. What if you built it a few hundred feet west of Broadway, connecting the east end of Julia Davis right to the north end zone area of Bronco Stadium? That would be pretty cool.

[Sawtooth]

They should probably just widen Friendship Bridge to accommodate more pedestrians and cyclists. It is central to campus and Julia Davis and easy to access via the Greenbelt to downtown.

I really dislike riding my bike along Broadway by BSU and especially where it meets Myrtle and Front and usually end up biking over Friendship to get to or from downtown.

[BOI-IDA]

Actually, BSU has in their Master Plan a proposal to build two pedestrian bridges to connect Julia Davis Park with the campus. The western one would be built near the Morrison Center, and the eastern one near Taco Bell Arena.

http://vpfa.boisestate.edu/process/m...rplanpart4.pdf (Scroll down to the 5th page)

I wonder if and when these will ever be built, or if this is just a vision?

I suppose only time will tell.

[Evo5Boise]

It would make absolute sense with all the foot traffic that ensues with Boise State football games, especially with plans for an expanded stadium in the future.

[BoiseAirport]

Minor air service tweak for Summer 2013:

Delta

The morning Boise to SLC flight that was a Boeing 757-200 last summer has been downgauged to a Boeing 737-800. However, there will be a net increase in seats as the 8:00am flight that was a regional jet (CRJ-900) last summer will be upgauged to an Airbus A319.

Also, Boise to Minneapolis is showing:
5:45am - Boeing 737-800
7:00am - CRJ-900
11:35am - Embraer 175
2:10pm - Airbus A320

4x daily flights for a total of approximately 440 daily seats each way is the most capacity and frequency this route has ever seen.

------------------------------------------------------------

In other aviation related news...

Delta is adding or expanding nonstop service between Atlanta and Montana:

• Atlanta to Bozeman expanded from twice weekly to three weekly (737-800s/757-200s)
• Atlanta to Kalispell expanded from once weekly to twice weekly (737-800)
• New Saturday service from Atlanta to Missoula (737-800)

Boise to Atlanta seemed like it was steadily working for a while. A 737-800 is probably too much for the route, but I wonder if a 3x-7x weekly A319 or even Embraer 175 (if it has the legs) could work.

[Hawk]

Meridian:



Broadway Ave




Gowen Rd



KTVB Article:
http://www.ktvb.com/news/See-the-new...197234451.html

[boi2socal]

Apparently Allegiant is having some major reliability issues with their 757s and flights to Hawaii. Can't say I'm surprised. With the exception of Bellingham, WA there are no bookable flights to/from Hawaii past early August.

http://www.staradvertiser.com/news/b..._Honolulu.html

[Cottonwood]

Originally Posted by Hawk

Meridian:



Broadway Ave




Gowen Rd



KTVB Article:
http://www.ktvb.com/news/See-the-new...197234451.html

Good info Hawk.

[BoiseAirport]

Photo update of the Boise Airport Parking Garage Expansion:

[isangpogi]

Originally Posted by BoiseAirport

Minor air service tweak for Summer 2013:

Delta


In other aviation related news...

Delta is adding or expanding nonstop service between Atlanta and Montana:

• Atlanta to Bozeman expanded from twice weekly to three weekly (737-800s/757-200s)
• Atlanta to Kalispell expanded from once weekly to twice weekly (737-800)
• New Saturday service from Atlanta to Missoula (737-800)

Boise to Atlanta seemed like it was steadily working for a while. A 737-800 is probably too much for the route, but I wonder if a 3x-7x weekly A319 or even Embraer 175 (if it has the legs) could work.

Why is it that Delta fly mainline aircraft into three small-town Montana airports but can't make BOI-ATL work?

[boi2socal]

Originally Posted by isangpogi

Why is it that Delta fly mainline aircraft into three small-town Montana airports but can't make BOI-ATL work?

Rich leisure travelers.

[Sawtooth]

Montana Those wanna be rich cowboys from Atlanta.

Anyhoo, I went to an ACHD open house recently in SE Boise which mainly touched on cycling lanes and it was well attended.

Bikes rule.

[City Of Trees]

Originally Posted by Sawtooth

Montana Those wanna be rich cowboys from Atlanta.

Anyhoo, I went to an ACHD open house recently in SE Boise which mainly touched on cycling lanes and it was well attended.

Bikes rule.

I wanted to go to that, but my schedule wouldn't allow it. Learn anything new?

[isangpogi]

Originally Posted by boi2socal

Apparently Allegiant is having some major reliability issues with their 757s and flights to Hawaii. Can't say I'm surprised. With the exception of Bellingham, WA there are no bookable flights to/from Hawaii past early August.

http://www.staradvertiser.com/news/b..._Honolulu.html

http://www.ktvb.com/news/Allegiant-a...198897621.html

Delayed by an entire day... Allegiant is a joke.

[boi2socal]

Does anyone know if they're every going to remove the temporary security corridor at the airport? It looks so bad just hanging there. Also, does anyone know when they use the new tower if they'll tear the old one down?

[BoiseAirport]

Originally Posted by boi2socal

Does anyone know if they're every going to remove the temporary security corridor at the airport? It looks so bad just hanging there. Also, does anyone know when they use the new tower if they'll tear the old one down?

Ha! Good question, I've been saying the same thing for the last few years. I think they use it for offices or closet space something like that, I've seen people inside on more than one occasion.

The old tower will eventually get knocked down though I don't know what a timeline is on that. It's currently in the way of the "Green Phase" of the Parking Garage expansion (See the Parking Garage expansion section of the April 2012 commission meeting presentation: http://www.iflyboise.com/media/24390...esentation.pdf)

Speaking of parking garage expansion, here's an update from the Boise Airport:

[Evo5Boise]

Originally Posted by BoiseAirport

Ha! Good question, I've been saying the same thing for the last few years. I think they use it for offices or closet space something like that, I've seen people inside on more than one occasion.

My company does quite a bit of work out at the airport. They use that old corridor for some storage but mainly it is where the BPD train the drug/bomb sniffing dogs. They actually lay out suitcases throughout that section and let the dogs train. Other than that it is just a old beat down section.

[BoiseAirport]

Some interesting items in the upcoming Airport Commission meeting agenda on April 4th. http://www.iflyboise.com/media/28128...-13_agenda.pdf

A. OLD BUSINESS
1. Approval of Minutes from Airport Commission Meeting of March 7, 2013.
2. Director’s Report – Rebecca Hupp
3. Commissioners’ Comments

B. NEW BUSINESS
1. Air Service Incentive Plan – Rebecca
2. Air Cargo Study Presentation

I could be wrong but I'm assuming the Air Cargo Study presentation has to do with consolidating the FedEx and UPS cargo areas (currently separated on opposite ends of the airfield) into a single location at the SE corner of the airport. See map here: http://www.iflyboise.com/media/2621/ALPAirCargoPlan.pdf

I may head down there to check it out.

[Cottonwood]

http://www.ktvb.com/news/Solar-panel...201155351.html

Solar panels help illuminate local bus stops
KTVB.COM
Posted on April 2, 2013 at 6:22 PM

Updated today at 11:52 AM

BOISE -- Solar panels are being installed on bus stops in Ada and Canyon counties.

Valley Regional Transit says the panels and shelters will be most beneficial in the fall and winter.

Eighteen panel shelters have been put up so far, and 20 more are expected to go up before August.

The panels are set up to charge batteries used for the IED lighting inside each shelter.