Traffic
Thoughts From The Road
The day job has the GUARDIAN on the road making photographs and observing the “American Condition.” We share some random observations. –The new bridge across the Coloorado River below Hoover Dam is a great time saver if you are headed south of Las Vegas, but you can’t see it (or the dam) as you drive [...]
Big Brother Bieter’s Meters Monitored
Inquiring minds have asked the GUARDIAN about credit card security on the new parking meters being tested in the downtown area–thank goodness they haven’t put them on the Bench yet! Our sources tell us the credit card is swiped and the info goes via radio signal–like a cell phone–from each meter to a bank processing [...]
Busiest Intersection In Idaho Is Eagle & Fairview
Afa County Highway District has released its 2011 traffic counts, placing several intersections in a tight competition for busiest in the county–and in most cases probably the state.
Eagle Council Wants Greenbelt Open To Bikes In G.C.
In a move that may be a wave of the future, yet another local government has joined the will of the people. The Citizens for an Open Greenbelt (COG) made its case to the Eagle City Council on Tuesday, seeking to get the Greenbelt opened to bikes in the Garden City stretch currently blocked to [...]
Serious Attitude On Speeding In Canada
The day job took the GUARDIAN editor on a lengthy road trip during the past couple of weeks, including a spin around the North Shore of Lke Superior in Canada. The 90 kph speed limit translates to 55 mph. These big blue and yellow signs were an intimidating factor when it came to passing someone [...]
Idaho Cities Battle For Convention Dollars
GROWTHOPHOBE (growth o phobe)–”One who opposes growth just for the sake of growth. Usually refers to municipalities and governments seeking to increase population and attract businesses merely for the sake of growing without due regard to long term affect on citizens and taxpayers.” The opposite of GROWTHOPHOBE is GROWTHOPHILE and that special breed seems prolific [...]
Ironman Event To Dominate Boise Streets
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 [...]
Coppers Watch You On ACHD Cameras
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 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 [...]
Coppers From Similar Cities Share Info
Your readers may find the following benchmark cities study helpful in a discussion on many topics you cover in your forum ranging from crime stats to employee information to things like miles driven. The BENCHMARK SURVEY is from a group of similar size cities who seek to compare notes. For instance, data regarding some of [...]
“E” Will Get You Passing Grades On Bikes
By JIM KERNS Deputy Chief, Boise PD The tragic deaths of 3 cyclists this last spring led to a call to action for the citizens of Boise to become more aware of the bike riding public. It seems that there are many polarized attitudes regarding bike riders on public streets. If you read the blogs, [...]
Copper Ignores “FIRE LANE” To Park Scooter
After all the heat the Boise copper took parking a squad car in a motorcycle space at City Hall (he eventually paid a hefty parking ticket) it is nothing shy of ironic that a motyorcycle copper parked his scooter in front of a NO PARKING FIRE LANE sign Thursday at the Cole Station post office. [...]
Cyclists Call For Enforcement of New Law
By STEVE HULME, BIKEBOY Guest opinion With last summer’s three fatalities still painfully in mind, bicycle enthusiasts turned out to testify at Boise City Council’s Tuesday meeting in favor of bike laws aimed at increasing safety. City Council considered – and passed with minor but significant amendments – some new laws recommended by the mayor’s [...]
Another View On Bike Safety
GUARDIAN reader Clancy offers up some logical and common sense ideas about bike safety as school gets underway in Boise and all the surveys, committees, and news of bike accidents have been discussed. BY CLANCY GUARDIAN Guest Post Boise and the Treasure Valley are in the midst of an epic bike and motor vehicle conflict. [...]
Boise Bicycle Nerd Survives On Attention
To say Bob Tencate likes attention is an understatement. When he hits the street it is impossible to NOT notice him and that’s the way he wants it. He really stands out in a crowd. Tencate is among a growing community of “transportation cyclists” in Boise who have forsaken automobiles in favor of bikes to [...]
State Workers Targeted By Boise Parking?
Complaints from several state workers have reached the GUARDIAN regarding the following memo circulated among staffers regarding parking tickets from Boise City. They characterize the enforcement action as the work of Nazis, but we think it is just the Parking Czar’s people enjoying a fresh crop of cherries to pick. CAPITOL MALL PARKING NOTICE Concerning [...]
Toll Are Answer To Costly Highways
The GUARDIAN is currently driving around France for the day job and spending more Euros than we like on tolls, but it is obviously the only fair way to finance highways. The surfaces are flawless and drivers are courteous and competent–despite what you may hear about speed and disregard for safety in Europe. The exception [...]
Time To Stop The Trolley Folly
Too much tax money has been spent doing surveys, plans, and proposals for a local transit system. Those who administer COMPASS, CCDC, and Valley Transit have demonstrated remarkable ineptness in providing any workable system. Those elected officials who sit on the various committees and boards have demonstrated a remarkable lack of leadership and concern for [...]
Owyhee Plaza Good Deed For Public
The management of the Owyhee Plaza Hotel gets a hearty ATTABOY from the GUARDIAN for offering up a free room to downtown businesses opposed to the 10th Street Transit Center being pushed by some local politicos. The free room is adjacent to the one rented by Valley Regional Transit to push for a transit center [...]
ACHD Offers Street Sizes S,M, L, and XL
The Ada County Highway District is holding some OPEN HOUSE events during the next 10 days to see what size and price range citizens would like on their streets. We hate to always be so cynical, but if citizens indicate a desire for broad avenues with trees, bike lanes, and sidewalks, it really won’t make [...]
Merchants Not Onboard 10th Street Bus Hub
Despite official claims to the contrary, based on what we have seen and heard about a transit mall on Boise’s 10th Street, it looks pretty much like a done deal. The goal is to get a federal grant from 2006 spent before a March 2009 deadline. Officials at all levels of government–and there are many–are [...]
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