City Government
Boise Spins Wheels On Ustick
July 17, 2006 
The Idaho Attorney General’s office has issued a statement backing up the Ada County Highway District (ACHD) argument that Boise City councilors have no authority over ACHD decisions.
At issue is the widening of Ustick Road from three lanes to five. ACHD says it is necessary due to traffic volumes and general growth of subdivisions in West Boise and Meridian. Residents and city say it is not needed and they want it to remain a “country lane.”
A local land use attorney agrees that highways districts have sole authority over roads in their jurisdiction. Boise cites their “comprehensive plan” as authority to keep the road small, but all legal authority seems to say the plan is just that–a guide which has no real authority.
An ACHD spokesman called the city a bully and city councilors were just as critical, but more cryptic toward the ACHD.
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Comments & Discussion
Comments are closed for this post.
Jul 17, 2006, 9:44 am
Jeeze, just get the road widened, and be done with it. Ustick is a major road in the area. It is not a little country lane. Fairview and Chinden are a very long ways apart. There needs to be another road between them.
Jul 17, 2006, 11:21 am
WHAT A JOKE! The mayor states that, “Growth can’t come at the expense of our neighborhoods”!!!?????!!
You cannot have it both ways Mr. Mayor and City Council! YOU and the City Council are personally responsible for promoting plans, policies and developers that build crappy row houses and massive condo complexes at the expense of our neighborhoods.
Now when you get a taste of your own medicine – you complain! Why were the other neighborhoods not worthy of your protection???
Now you find out that your all powerful comp plan that you quote every week to justify your position carries NO legal weight.
Now you know how hundreds of voters and tax payers feel after you and the Councilors tell them that you must follow the comp plan and you have no choice. Now you get to be told by ACHD what will happen and you have no choice- how ironic!
Jul 17, 2006, 11:25 am
Kevin evidently doesn’t live on Ustick Road. Some of the Ustick residents probably have lived on it since it WAS a little country lane. (At one point, Fairview and Chinden were both little country lanes, as well.)
Is that the solution? Pave Ada and Canyon Counties and be done with it?
Frankly, my sympathy is more with the long-time residents along Ustick, than with the hordes of newcomers west of there, who have invaded the farmland like grasshoppers and are now demanding wider roads. They should look at their commuting woes as “the price they pay, to get away” (to quote the catchy jingle for the country store).
“Comprehensive plans” are mostly used to prop doors open at government offices, aren’t they? At least in these parts.
Jul 17, 2006, 11:17 pm
I’m very concerned with either groups ability to get stuff done. Have you noticed that while they ponder adding just one lane to the freeway the two lanes we have now are deeply rutted from all the 60 ton trucks. Because it was built for 40 tons right? Time for a three lane loop road ACHD!!!! Please hire someone that knows what that is.
I’ll ride a train as soon as it has a ladder rack and place for the dog…. thank goodness that idea is gone.
Jul 18, 2006, 7:07 pm
Speaking of ACHD not being able to get things done, what about the Maple Grove extension? Until very recently I lived just off Chinden and Garrett and was excited about the extension as it would have made my commute to work much easier. I was (and am) extremely frustrated that te highway district and irrigation district can’t get their act together and the new extenstion is currently about 100′ and one small bridge short of being complete.
Jul 20, 2006, 9:34 am
I have been in Boise for a lot of years, and I have to admit, I DO feel sorry for the old timers on Ustick, but I have used that as a main road for the past 20 years. It IS the major E/W road in that area. Part of the problem is bad planning on the City’s part from a long time ago, that funneled all the roads through downtown. But, that era of city management is over, it is time to widen some more roads. Along with Ustick, should be Victory, out to at least to Cloverdale, if not Eagle road. Franklin needs to be widened to 2 lanes, all the way to Meridian.
Jul 21, 2006, 12:01 pm
The taxpayers should decide which road gets what done to it and when it gets done, because the taxpayers own the roads and right of way on either side of each road. Get the entities, cities, counties, states and feds out of it. Make each road a toll road and use the tolls to keep up and improve that road. Before long it would be apparent which road is used the most.