Boise Guardian | Transportation

Potential Reduction For 2C Bus Service

July 26, 2010 ⋅ 3 comments

Our transportation expert paints a sad picture of mismanagement and missed opportunities in the following GUARDIAN EXCLUSIVE special report. By Jimmy D. Bus Guardian Transportation Correspondent Canyon County residents face the prospect of reduced bus service if Valley Regional Transit plans become reality. The service changes would begin in October 2010 and cover both the [...]

Did Flawed Intel Lead To Council Support Of F-35?

July 26, 2010 ⋅ 8 comments

A group calling itself SaveOurValleyNow is claiming the endorsement of Boise City Councilors in support of the F-35 fighter at Gowen Field is based on flawed information. Citing what they claim are conflicting statements from Deputy Airport Director Matt Petja regarding noise levels, the group is actually offering the Council a face-saving way to back [...]

Boise PD Bans Cell Phone Texting In Cars

July 15, 2010 ⋅ 7 comments

Citing his own distraction while driving, Boise’s top copper, Mike Masterson, announced a new policy banning texting on phones and mobile devices in BPD squad cars. The use of those front seat laptops will continue until new hands free and voice recognition equipment can be purchased and installed within the budget constraints and technological developments. [...]

Desire Named Street Car Still Alive

July 4, 2010 ⋅ 5 comments

Apparently disregarding overwhelming public sentiment, Boise’s Team Dave continues to dump public funds into plans for a trolley. This time its another, guess what?– “study.” And like all the other studies it just happens to condone what the politicos want. For a mere $63,543 in taxpayer money the City got a consultant to say tracks [...]

Forget Bureaucrats, Trust Your Politicos

June 9, 2010 ⋅ 5 comments

A series of recent events, backed up by press releases from the offices of politicos from City Hall to the United States Senate are leaving the GUARDIAN confused. Most recent was a move to locate TRACON–the local aviation radar operators who sit in a dark windowless room–in Boise instead of a consolidated facility at the [...]

Bieter Seeks To Abolish Citizen’s Right To Vote

June 3, 2010 ⋅ 13 comments

Using an appearance before the Chamber of Commerce as a “bully pulpit,” Boise Mayor Dave Bieter urged citizens to approve a proposed constitutional amendment that would serve only to abolish rights citizens currently enjoy to approve bonds to pay for airport facilities. We find it ironic the good Mayor seeks to abolish the right of [...]

Boise City Continues Quest For Train

May 18, 2010 ⋅ 13 comments

In yet ANOTHER attempt at playing trains, Mayor Dave Bieter has entered into a secret negotiation with the Boise Valley Railroad–the shortline that runs through town–to explore building a freight facility on land owned by Boise citizens. Seems that Team Dave can’t get support for a trolley. They also can’t get a downtown “transit center” [...]

No Government Paid Ads For Anti F-35

April 22, 2010 ⋅ 15 comments

A group opposed to having 73 F-35 fighter jets stationed in Boise has set up a WEBSITE they call “Save Our Valley Now. They have some interesting maps and make claims you won’t see in any of those posters at the Airport or on the Idaho lottery ticket website. In what is just another battle [...]

Mr. Bieter! Open This Building!

April 21, 2010 ⋅ 8 comments

We have pushed for nearly 5 years to get the Boise Depot opened to the public on a routine daily basis during the summer and despite the best efforts of the GUARDIAN, the vast majority of the time it remains only a catering venue for the elite . We have to admit the Boise Depot [...]

Boise vs Meridian In “Screw Thy Neighbor”

April 13, 2010 ⋅ 11 comments

We can’t help but chuckle at all the so-called “partnerships” and “regional planning” schemes put forth by local governments when their real goal is to screw their neighbor. Latest battle in what the GUARDIAN has dubbed ECONOMIC CIVIL WAR is Meridian’s quest to lure the Hawks baseball franchise away from Boise–even attempting to get the [...]

BOI Airport Admits Parking Not Needed

March 14, 2010 ⋅ 5 comments

Nice little Q&A by Tim Woodward in the DAILY PAPER Sunday. Seems the Boise Airport didn’t really need the $29 million five story parking garage stopped by the GUARDIAN editor five years ago. In fact, there isn’t even demand for a surface lot that cost just $2 million or so to build. With interest the [...]

Amendment Seeks To Deny Voter Rights

February 21, 2010 ⋅ 12 comments

The Idaho legislature will soon be considering HJR 005 which looks pretty tame at first glance, but it is designed to deny citizens the right to approve long term debt at airports and allow airports to go into the real estate speculation and rental business. Here is the GUARDIAN’s take on the bill. The net [...]

No Stopping a Runaway Train (Trolley) Enthusiast

February 21, 2010 ⋅ 9 comments

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 [...]

Update On Desire Named Street Car

February 15, 2010 ⋅ 19 comments

The DAILY PAPER has joined the long list of opponents to Team Dave’s “Desire Named Street Car” with a HUGE EDITORIAL in Sunday’s edition. They didn’t go soa as advocating a massive increase in the bus system, but it is clear (to us) the Statesman has come over to the GUARDIAN side. Reporter Cynthia Sewell [...]

Driving, Texting Don’t Mix–For Anyone!

January 28, 2010 ⋅ 30 comments

The Feds have just come out with strict rules against texting while driving for truckers. Meanwhile, cities and states across the nation have weighed in as well. Idaho legislators will probably consider a bill against texting and driving this session. The GUARDIAN previously WEIGHED IN on all the talk against texting while driving (we hereby [...]

“E” Will Get You Passing Grades On Bikes

January 23, 2010 ⋅ 18 comments

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, [...]

Better Buses Buttress Baltimore Business

January 18, 2010 ⋅ 11 comments

Just in case you still hadn’t had enough on the Desire Named Street Car, a GUARDIAN reader sends us an interesting link about using–would you believe– BUSES to serve downtown Baltimore. Before any money is pumped into a Boise trolley, we think some buses would be much wiser. Apparently the folks in Baltimore, Bolivia, and [...]

TJ Withdraws Support Of Street Car Vote

January 14, 2010 ⋅ 20 comments

Basing his judgement on the unsuccessful petition drive efforts of the candidate he defeated in November, City Councilor TJ Thomson has withdrawn his support for a public vote on the funding for a street car in downtown Boise. In a statement to the GUARDIAN, TJ said, “The fact that David Litster was not able to [...]

Cyclists Call For Enforcement of New Law

January 13, 2010 ⋅ 25 comments

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 [...]

Parks Plan Could Solve Trolley Issue

December 29, 2009 ⋅ 7 comments

Boise Parks workers have come up with a plan that could solve the goose problem AND the trolley debate. At a February 2009 meeting, Boise’s Park Board voted to pursue a plan to use stray border collie dogs from the Humane Society, trained by prison inmates to chase the pooping geese out of the parks. [...]

Transportation