Boise Guardian » ACHD

CCDC Seeks Expansion Despite Statewide Opposition

dave — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 15:15:53 +0000

Boise’s Urban Renewal Agency–CCDC– seeks to double the acres where property taxes are diverted away from City, County, ACHD, and Schools with a new District in the 30th Street area. They will have to hustle to get ahead of growing opposition. The Daily Paper has a DETAILED REPORT.

Most of these major downtown structures pay NO TAXES to city, county or schools.

Urban Renewal agencies throughout the state have come under fire for not following the Idaho Constitution when it comes to financing debt. Rexburg won a Supreme Court victory which touched off a move by UR opponents to seek legislative changes in the 2011 session. That Eastern Idaho city sought to spend about $11 million for an outdoor swimming pool and go into debt without voter approval.

Even the Republican Party has a plank to bring the UR agencies into line with a state constitutional requirement that local governments must seek voter approval for debt. Current law declares urban renewal agencies to be “independent bodies corporate and politic.”

Once a district is created–usually by a city council–all the taxes on improvements and appreciation are diverted from the coffers of cities, counties, school and highway districts. Meanwhile the rest of the taxpaying public living OUTSIDE the district has to make up the lost revenue.

Worst of all, urban renewal districts have NO OVERSIGHT of any elected governmental body and are totally apart from cities, counties or the State after they are created by a city council.

Nearly all the taxes are diverted from BoDo, the Grove Hotel, and all of the downtown towers built in the past 25 years. The widow on fixed income, families, and others are forced to make up the shortfall in taxes to pay for the police, fire, and municipal services to the area within the urban renewal district.

It may be a noble cause to “renew” blighted areas, but it should be done with assent of those of us who pay the bills and not serve to benefit a select number of developers as is often the case.

Kuna Man Files For ACHD Seat

dave — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 20:45:42 +0000

A Kuna man with a background in avionics has filed for a seat on the Ada County Highway District. Thanks to the current law, 80% of Ada citizens are not allowed to vote for any commissioner. They can vote only for a commissioner in their district of residence.

David Klinchuch has filed for the District 4 seat on the Commission in the November 2010 election.

Mr. Klinchuch is an Idaho product, having graduate from Kuna High School in 1962 and the University of Idaho (Class of 1966), College of Engineering.

For questions please contact David Klinchuch at 208 922 5770 or DavidK4ACHD@gmail.com

ACHD Race Turns Into A Real Fight

dave — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 17:53:06 +0000

The Ada County Highway District 3 election has turned into a potential brawl with today’s announcement from Cleveland Corder, former world middleweight boxing champion.

Corder, 38, is challenging incumbent John Franden for control of the only male seat on the ACHD commission. If elected will represent the area generally known as Garden City and Eagle and only 20% of voters–those living in the district–are allowed to vote for a commissioner on the November ballot.

At least the former tough guy didn’t try to get in the ring and duke it out with one of the women commishes!

His entire press release follows.

Boise – Cleveland “The Warrior” Corder, former IBC and NBA World Middleweight Champion, has filed his candidacy for the District 3 seat on the Ada County Highway District Commission in the November 2010 election.

Said Corder, currently a Boise area businessman, “traffic needs to flow more smoothly in
Ada County. Whether traffic is jammed up because there are too many construction projects scheduled for the same area or the lights simply aren’t timed correctly, the situation hurts our economy at a time when many businesses and people are struggling. We should also be looking at innovations like roundabouts which keep the flow of traffic moving very well.”

Corder’s 2010 ACHD platform includes increasing the transparency of ACHD finances and expenses. He also believes that ACHD needs to work proactively with the cities in Ada County to maximize the impact of taxpayer money. “I’m a fighter,” he said, “and it’s time we had someone on the Ada County Highway District Commission that fights for taxpayers.”

Ironman Event To Dominate Boise Streets

dave — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 14:34:09 +0000

Boise is in the middle of a five year run of Ironman constest which will have a major impact on driving patterns around the city on Saturday.

What a wonderful thing it is to be chosen to host this run-swim-bike contest of athletes. The economic impact and notoriety should help bring jobs and business to the “most remote city of its size in North America.”

Click to get full details of street closures from Ada County Highway Department.

Traffic Advisory
Ada County Highway District

June 10, 2010
Information Contact:
Robbie Johnson
Office: 208-387-6228
Cell: 208-860-6628

Major impacts to drivers expected during Boise’s Ironman event

Over the course of eight hours, participants in Ironman Boise 70.3 will race through town as they complete a 1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike ride and 13.1-mile run in succession. This year’s Ironman Boise will start on Saturday, June 12, 2010 at 2 p.m. beginning at Lucky Peak Reservoir and end in downtown Boise on 8th Street in BoDo.

1,400 participants are expected for this event. This is the third year of a five-year agreement between the Ironman organizers and the city of Boise. Course maps and information about the event are available on the Ironman Boise Web site: www.ironmanboise.com. The maps are also attached to this email.

The Ada County Highway District (ACHD) is working with Boise City, Ironman organizers, Boise Police, the Ada County Sheriff’s Office, the Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) and others to prepare for the road closures necessary to make the event possible. Citizens not involved in the Ironman event are urged to prepare and take alternate routes. Detour routes will be in place for the closures and drivers should use caution. Boise Police officers will be stationed along the course and will help residents get in and out of businesses and residences during the event. There will be around 75 flaggers directing traffic and 45 volunteers will also help along the route at intersections and driveways.

ITD is planning a different approach to restrictions on Idaho 21, which is used for the cycling portion of the event. Idaho 21 has been completely closed in the cycling area in years past, but this year one lane will be maintained for traffic to get through in both directions. There are no “hard” or complete closures planned without detour routes in place.

Idaho 21 on Saturday, June 12

2:15 p.m. – Flaggers will start directing traffic between Diversion Dam and Surprise Way, and lane restrictions will be put in place.

Between Diversion Dam and Lucky Peak Dam, the right southbound lane and shoulder will be closed off to traffic. Bikes will use the closed lane, and one lane south and both lanes north will remain open to motorists.

Between Diversion Dam and Surprise Way, traffic will be restricted to one lane. Vehicles will be guided northbound or southbound one direction at a time.

Between Surprise Way and Technology Lane one lane in each direction will be maintained.

7:30 p.m. – Based on past years, the last bicyclist is anticipated to move through by this time. Traffic flagging will end as soon as the last rider leaves Idaho 21.

7:45 p.m. – The highway returns to normal operations.

Other ITD roads impacted Saturday, June 12

Noon – Front Street will close between 6th and 9th streets. Traffic will be detoured north on Capitol, west on Idaho, south on 9th back to Front. This area will be the first-aid medical station and the command center for law enforcement during the event.

Between 2:40 p.m. and 7 p.m. the I-84 Eisenman interchange ramps will be closed and traffic will be detoured to the Gowen interchange. The closure of the Eisenman interchange allows the bicycling portion of the competition to be rerouted away from the Gowen interchange and the Idaho 21/Federal Way intersection, which are more heavily used by motorists. The interchange is expected to reopen as soon as the last cyclist gets through the area.

4 p.m. – Myrtle Street will close between Capitol Boulevard and 9th Street. Traffic will be detoured north on 11th, east on Main Street, south on 3rd back to Myrtle.

11 p.m. – Myrtle Street will return to normal operations.

After midnight – Front Street will return to normal operations.

ACHD roads impacted include:

Full closures

8th Street between Broad Street and Front Street closed Thursday, June 10 (today) at 8 a.m. and will be back open Sunday at 8 a.m.

Capitol Boulevard between Myrtle Street and Front Street will be closed Friday, June 11 from 6 p.m. to Sunday, June 13 at 12:30 a.m.

Broad Street between Capitol Boulevard and 9th Street will be closed between 4:30 p.m. and 12:30 a.m. Saturday.

Pleasant Valley Road from Gowen Road to Ten Mile Creek Road will be closed from 3 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. Saturday.

Ten Mile Creek Road will be closed from Pleasant Valley Road to South Cole Road from 3:20 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Saturday.

Eisenman Road from Interstate 84 to the Boise Factory Outlets mall will be closed from 2:50 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. Saturday.

Federal Way and Capitol Boulevard will be closed between Protest Road and Myrtle Street from 4:30 p.m. to 8:20 p.m. Saturday.

Lane restrictions

Warm Springs Avenue between Highway 21 to the ParkCenter Bridge will have a lane restriction and delays between 4 p.m. and 7:40 p.m. Saturday. Only northbound traffic will be allowed between Highway 21 and the Idaho Shakespeare Festival. The Shakespeare Festival will be accessible from town, but expect detours and delays.

Gowen Road between Eisenman Road and Pleasant Valley will be westbound traffic only between 2:50 p.m. and 6:45 p.m. Saturday.

Holcomb/Bergeson between Boise Avenue and Federal Way will only be open to eastbound traffic from 4:15 p.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday.

ACHD will have special traffic signal timing plans for the closures on Capitol, Front and Myrtle to help move traffic. An ACHD traffic operations engineer will be at the ACHD Traffic Management Center Saturday monitoring traffic conditions and adjusting signals if needed.

Reader boards on local highways and the Connector are in place to alert motorists to the closures. Ironman organizers distributed 5600 mailers describing traffic impacts to residents.

Coppers Watch You On ACHD Cameras

dave — Fri, 21 May 2010 15:29:25 +0000

In a program with which we can’t really argue, Ada County Highway District is making its extensive network of traffic cams available to coppers at the dispatch center.

ACHD Video Traffic Cam Control Center

ACHD Commish Sara Baker revealed the arrangement on her blog yesterday and noted several recent crimes and emergencies which involved police use of the system.

You too can view intersections, but unlike the coppers at dispatch, you can’t manipulate the camera view. An Ada County Sheriff’s spokesman told the GUARDIAN the department has had control of the traffic cameras “after hours” since mid-February.

Meridian vs ACHD on Legislation

dave — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 23:59:16 +0000

While Boise’s urban renewal agency CCDC secretly wrote proposed legislation and denied the GUARDIAN access to the process, the Ada County Highway District was quietly doing the same thing and drawing the ire of Meridian officials.

Seems ACHD wanted to “opt out” of having taxes diverted to urban renewal projects without their approval. Urban Renewal agencies statewide are used to get around voters and various local governments. A bill before the legislature written by Boise’s CCDC lawyer failed to get out of committee when most of the testimony at a hearing opposed the bill.

Here is the SNARKY LETTER Meridian sent to the ACHD–a public record, but out of the public forum.10 Mar 17 Huber ACHD HB583 Apparently both units of government forgot to ask what the citizens thought. We don’t wish to argue the merits of any of the failed bills, just wanted to remind you we are here.

No Stopping a Runaway Train (Trolley) Enthusiast

dave — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 21:59:17 +0000

Team Dave is still pushing for a trolley, and can’t seem to understand the meaning of NO, despite public opinion and denial of U.S. Government funds.

Last week the Feds turned down Boise’s request for about $40 million in “TIGER” funds for the Desire Named Street Car (also affectionately known as the “Trolley Folly”). The Feds awarded grants to cities like Tucson where local government asked for and received permission from citizens to build a rapid transit system in 2006. Boise steadfastly refuses to allow a popular vote on funding for the Mayor’s dream.

Two professional surveys and literally thousands of opposition comments on radio, blogs, public open houses, and letters to the editor showed Boiseans overwhelmingly are against a trolley. Here is how Mayor Dave Bieter spun the denial of his request in his MEMO to citizens:

Federal officials have told us just how impressed they were with our application and how well it reflects the goal of using stimulus dollars to spur economic development.

Four other cities — Tucson, New Orleans, Portland, and Dallas — received a total of $160 million for their streetcar systems, a clear sign that streetcar projects are receiving significant support on the federal level. Idaho was one of only nine states to receive no TIGER grants whatsoever — including the $26 million that ValleyRide requested, and the City of Boise supported, for improved bus services.

We are going to continue to explore ways to finance and build up the Boise Valley’s transportation system, of which the streetcar is just one piece. One of the benefits of this week’s decision is that it gives us the opportunity to broaden the exploration of the streetcar to learn if a north/south route from downtown to Boise State University, which has been on the drawing boards for years, would be feasible for phase one.
(EDITOR NOTE–If it has been on the drawing board for years, why wasn’t the N-S route offered up first?)

The city will also continue to look for opportunities for federal assistance on the streetcar project. The Citizen Survey we conducted last year indicated that our residents’ top two priorities are the economy and public transportation. The Boise Streetcar System is one of several initiatives the City has proposed to address both of these important issues. (EDITOR NOTE–A more recent survey showed overwhelming opposition to a street car)

ACHD To Install New Style Left Turn Signal

dave — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 02:16:32 +0000

The Ada County Highway District (ACHD) is installing the first of several new-design signals with flashing yellow, left-turn arrows at State Street/Bloom Drive/Plantation River Drive Tuesday morning. They replace the traditional green ball with a flashing arrow to tell drivers they can turn left if it is safe to do so with no oncoming traffic. Both the yellow arrow and green ball indicators reduce traffic delays, but research has shown the arrows reduce accidents.

“The flashing yellow arrow is more clearly understood, which helps make it a safer signal,” said ACHD Traffic Engineering Supervisor Ross Oyen. “The solid green sends a message of ‘I can go’ versus a yellow arrow that sends the message that ‘I better be cautious.’”

Arrow-signals will also be installed at State Street’s intersections with Willow Lane, Ellens Ferry Drive, Collister Drive and possibly Pierce Park Lane in coming weeks.

If the new signals perform as expected, increasing safety while reducing delay, ACHD will install the flashing arrows throughout the county. In late 2009, the federal government approved the signals for wide use after several years of testing.

What It Takes To Earn Your Stripes

dave — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 01:02:18 +0000

United States District Courts not only accept electronic filing of legal documents, they REQUIRE it. Apparently not the case with the Ada County Highway District.

The Ada County Commishes have agreed to pay about $3,000 for a designated crosswalk on Third Street just north of Front. There is an employee parking lot on the west side of the street and the Commishes want to insure the safety of workers so they don’t have to walk to the corner or risk a jaywalking ticket.

It would be nice if they would also put a crosswalk in front of the Courthouse so visitors could have the same consideration the folks at BoDo and Center on The Grove have–a midblock crossing on Front Street, depriving coppers reason to write jaywalking tickets. If that ever happens, it will cost about $200,000 and bring the Idaho Transportation Dept. into the loop.

Back when things were different, it would have taken nothing more than a phone call to get a couple of signs and have the white stripes painted on the street. Not these days. For starters, a crosswalk has to include curb cuts and ramps–that’s apparently the big expense.

Engineers of the Ada County Highway District met with ACHD Commish Sara Baker and Ada County Commish Sharon Ullman and all agreed to create the crosswalk on Third St. The County Commishes agreed to approve the expenditure. Ada Commishes sent an e-mail to all the ACHD Commishes: “Please consider this a formal request from the Board of Ada County Commissioners to proceed with the implementation of a crosswalk…”

ACHD Commish Rebecca Arnold responds, “I doubt that there will be any problem with getting that crosswalk put in since this has been a topic of discussion at an ACHD work session. However, we do need a letter from the Ada County Commission requesting it and acknowledging Ada County’s agreement to pay the cost.”

We won’t be surprised if the next ACHD meeting has Sara Baker on the carpet for cutting a secret deal with the county. Of course the bigger question will be whose names will go on the crosswalk memorial plaque!

SATURDAY 10/17/09 UPDATE: In a flurry of e-mails we received this one form ACHD Commish Rebecca Arnold. Looks like a short paper note to the ACHD and the crosswalk will be a done deal. Can’t we all just get along?
“Commissioner Ullman, we are not trying to be difficult but we are a little more formal about spending taxpayer funds and do still require signed documents that specify the terms of the agreement. Regarding your email, it was unsigned and did not include the financial terms involved in the arrangement. I suspect this could be handled by a properly signed one page letter proposal from the county that specifies who pays for what.
Thank you.
Rebecca”

Poet Paul’s Post

dave — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 15:53:59 +0000

On a bridge Baker’s name was missed Sara feels she was personally dissed fools names and fools faces are seen in public places so she might be too smart for the list! Related posts:Poet Paul’s Post Poet Paul Is Back! Poet Paul Posts A Poll Plea Related posts: