COMPASS
Local Schools, Governments Orchestrate Money Grab From Citizens
We feel like a tourist in a Paris subway full of pickpockets as we observe all the politicos in Boise after our cash. The local “community planning association,” (COMPASS) has been running paid commercials on radio claiming there is an annual $150,000,000 shortfall in transportation funding in Southwest Idaho. Probably more than a coincidence the […]
Trolley Folly, Desire Named Street Car Still Festers
We have spent years writing about the ongoing dream (nightmare) of tearing up the citizen’s streets to build an unwanted, unneeded street car, trolley, train in Boise. Today we have had numerous calls and e-mails on the topic. Each time it raises its ugly head, there is a public outcry, Team Dave defends their idea, […]
Transit Center Design Flaw Prompts Bus Modifications
The GUARDIAN has confirmed that a ValleyRide bus scraped the road surface at the new underground transit center during a test run due to a construction design flaw. Sources tell us the ramp leading up to Main is so steep that buses cannot crest the top without scraping the undercarriage. To be clear, we have […]
GUARDIAN Bus Would Run Every 13 Sec. For Cost Of Trolley
In the quest to make downtown Boise the most “unfriendly car city” in America, Boise’s Team Dave has come up with, would you believe yet another…TROLLEY CIRCULATOR plan. The Boise WEEKLY’s George Prentice offers a look which prompted the GUARDIAN to turn to the calculator for perspective. Using the City’s figures, reported by Prentice, we […]
Valley Ride Missed The Bus Despite Growth
Our transportation consultant has provided some insight into the operation and success–or lack thereof–at Valley Ride, the regional bus system. By Jimmy D. Bus GUARDIAN Consultant With planners screaming for “increased density” and repeating the mantra “we have to get people out of their cars,” I harken back to the days when Boise’s BUS system […]
Valley Has $150,000,000 Annual Shortfall
We heard an ad on the radio recently from the Community Planning Association, COMPASS, which claimed Treasure Valley comes up short $150 million each year when it comes to transportation funding. The private agency which is funded by assorted taxpayer funded local governments explains details HERE. They say the big issue is growth and predict […]
Some Growths Can Be Cancer
Growth for the sake of growth spawns GROWTHOPHOBES. We growthophobes welcome anyone willing to pay their fair share of taxes and fair wages. In recent months the GUARDIAN and Mrs. GUARDIAN have been wracked with guilt and ridiculed by friends for our practice of taking “Sunday Drives,” to places like the Riverside Restaurant at Horseshoe […]
Mass Transit Needs Masses, Too Expensive
Ron Harriman is a guy who tends to use science and math to make his points. Here is his take on recent calls for a TRANSIT SYSTEM in the Treasure Valley. By Ron Harriman My research has led me to conclude that in a basically rural area, transit fares will only cover 8% of the […]
CCDC, Others Adopt GUARDIAN Sign Idea
After nearly a decade of ignoring the need for “way finding” signs in Boise, the major stakeholders in downtown Boise have adopted the GUARDIAN idea of being tourist-friendly. CCDC and the Downtown Boise Association are gathering ideas on the development of a wayfinding system for Downtown Boise. The meetings are set for Tuesday, June 10 […]
Simplot, Gardner Projects Differ In Funding
The announcement by the J. R. Simplot Company to build a nine story headquarters at 11th and Front while Gardner plans a new project at 8th and Main brings to mind the differences in funding. Simplot’s project won’t depend on public money like the Gardner project which depends of lots of public money–just for the […]
Fate Of Downtown Boise Unknown In 2017
The GUARDIAN has been doing some preliminary inquiries regarding the fate of downtown Boise after the Central District urban renewal project expires in 2017. As it sits currently, no one can offer us a definitive answer to questions of ownership, management, and responsibility for certain Capital City Development Corp. properties. For instance, CCDC owns 8th […]
GUARDIAN Reader Seeks Second Opinion
Calling himself “Boise Cynic,” a long time GUARDIAN reader has taken it upon himself to seek a 2nd opinion on how downtown Boise should be managed with regard to traffic, pedestrians, and bikes. BY BOISE CYNIC Request to ACHD, Boise City, CCDC and/or BSU: Please pay for urban planner Robert Bruegmann to come to Boise […]
Is Boise Losing “Small Town” Flavor?
With all the pressure Boise’s Team Dave is putting on the Ada County Highway District, Urban Renewal, Autitorium District, and Valley Transit, we growthophobes have to conclude their efforts are aimed at justifying a TROLLEY through urban growth. While they try to make a case for trains, trolley, street car or circulator there seems to […]
Bench Residents Ignored By Bike Plan
Boise City and Valley Transit plan to spend at least $650,000 in equipment and “stations” to start a 140 bike share program which ignores the vast majority of the city and its citizens. But hey, when you are talking $4,642 per bike you can’t trust them to those lower income Bench Dwellers. We need a […]
Downtown Has Moved To Eagle & Fairview
Eagle Road has become Main Street and Meridian is quickly becoming the new “China” for Boise planners, politicos and purchasers–threatening to either own or control everything from highway dollars to retail market share. While Boise has been preoccupied filling the former “hole in the ground” with a mirrored skyscraper, Meridian (Idaho’s third largest city) has […]
Transit Center Heads Underground
If Valley Regional Transit and Capital City Development Corp. (CCDC) get their way, Boise’s highest and lowest structures will be at the same downtown intersection of 8th and Main. That is the latest planned location for a “multi model transportation center,” but this time they are looking at hiding the bus station underground diagonally across […]
Growthophobes Beware Can-Ada Population Of 1,000,000 Predicted By 2040
Massive population growth may sound great to politicos and others eager to solve problems like transportation, sewer, water, education, and air quality, but to growthophobes it signals a call to action. The Sunday Idaho Press Tribune published a story predicting the population of Canyon and Ada Counties would hit one million by 2040. They even […]
Boise’s Team Dave To Ignore Will Of People With Yet Another Transit Survey
Despite repeated attempts at shaping public opinion through surveys, informational events, and “$24,500” expenditures for consultants, Boise officials refuse to take “NO” for an answer when it comes to Mayor Dave Bieter’s desire named street car. Citizens overwhelmingly opposed every plan he has brought forth. The Idaho Statesman commissioned an independent survey which also came […]
ACHD Commish Fires Another Round At Bieter Raise
EDITOR NOTE–The GUARDIAN will offer equal space to the MAyor and/or the Council to respond to this post. Ada County Highway District Commish Rebecca Arnold has fired another round over the pay hike for Mayor Dave Bieter which she adamently opposes. Arnold is calling for a performance evaluation by the city council since they are […]
Chinese Electric Bus Factory, A High Voltage Route Or Short Circuit?
This guest post was submitted by a reader known to the GUARDIAN who is well versed in the bus transportation industry. By Jimmy D. Bus, Guardian Transportation Correspondent When it comes to electric buses in America, it appears Communist China’s Zonda Corp. attempted to establish a marketing beach head in the Treasure Valley six months […]
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