Transportation
Where Have All The Busses Gone?
The tipster called the GUARDIAN asking slyly, “do you know about the bus Valley Transit gave away to the mechanic?” That prompted a series of phone calls that got more incredible as the day wore on. A Valley Regional Transit spokesman confirmed that a maintenance manager and a deputy director of the government funded organization […]
Businesses Could Be Forced To Pay For Trolley
Struggling downtown Boise businesses could get whacked with a big tax bill for a trolley to nowhere if a funding scheme is created to go around the will of the voters. Rather than put the funding straight forward to a vote of the citizens, they are exploring the creation of a LID–“local improvement district.” LIDs […]
Bungling Bureaucrats Botch Boise Buses
In a refreshing bit of local journalism, Cynthia Sewell of the Daily Paper detailed a pattern of BUNGLING BUREAUCRATS either unwilling or unable to put together a plan to spend federal funds for a downtown transit center. The fed money was earmarked for Boise in 2005, but Boise City, the Urban Renewal Agency (CCDC), Ada […]
Streetcar Desire At CCDC Prompts Notice
A short little legal notice in the Daily Paper Friday includes an invitation to engineering firms to submit a “Statement of Qualifications for conceptual design consultant services” for a downtown streetcar project. No budget is mentioned for the six month contract, but it looks like local officials are forging ahead with their “street car named […]
AMBUS Yet Another Transit Solution
We get fed up with all of the competing logic when it comes to the government bailing out the auto manufacturers while at the same time some folks say we have to stop building roads and advocate more trains. We need a nationwide intercity government operated bus system. We can call it AMBUS, retool the […]
ACHD Has Butts In Their Sand
Seems like business is “picking up” for the folks at the Ada County Highway District. With a breather between snow storms, crews are out gathering all that sand they dumped at intersections and on hills for traction. Judging from the close up photo they sent along with the press release there are a ton of […]
Time To Clear The Roads Now
Anyone who shovels the snow from their driveway knows it is a lot easier to do BEFORE several inches have accumulated and packed down. We go through this every time it snows or there is any kind of emergency. Before we go any further, SOLDIERS, NURSES, FIREMEN, COPPERS, TEACHERS, SNOWPLOW DRIVERS, and the TRASH GUYS […]
End Of Year GUARDIAN Review
Believe it or not the GUARDIAN has been on line going on four years. As the year winds down we want to offer a refresher course in the “theme” we use to offer that different SLANT on the news. –We take credit for creating the words “GROWTHOPHOBE” and GROWTHOPHILE.” No better confirmation for our claim […]
City & CCDC Seek Trolley Pitchman
At a time when the economy is tanking and wasteful spending needs to be curbed, Team Dave at the office of Mayor Dave Bieter and the folks at the urban renewal agency are ready to spend $25,000 in public money for a Street Car Pitchman! Like Prof. Harold Hill in the “Music Man” it looks […]
Copper Rides Likely To Change
Boise Coppers are likely to have a slightly European flare with their ride matching their duties as Chief Mike Masterson and topper copper command staff look for ways to save taxpayer dollars in these tough times. Throughout Europe and South America, police use compact size vehicles which are used mostly for transportation rather than high […]
Gas Is Cheaper, But What About Roads?
By BIKEBOY, aka Steve Hulme Idaho’s highways are in serious need of repair and upgrade. The Transportation Department (ITD) estimates that it would cost an additional $250 million per year, just to maintain the status quo. Many of us are skeptical. To us, the roads look fine… until a bridge falls into the river, like […]
ACHD Candidate Critical Of Budget
We are probably opening the proverbial Pandora’s box, but the GUARDIAN will offer reasonable space to candidates for local offices between now and election day. The comments will be posted as they come in with minimal editing. We are imposing a “reasonable length” guideline. By Sara Baker, Dist. 5 ACHD Candidate Citizens should be disheartened […]
Turned On By Idle Thoughts
While the GUARDIAN takes credit for bringing the issue of idling City cars to the attention of the public–and Boise officials–more than a year ago, Vancouver, B.C. was able to put a stop to wasteful practices without our urging. On a weekend trip to the big West Coast Canadian town, we noticed signs at various […]
Ethanol Spells Corny Economics
Guest Post by Bill Goodnight The ethanol boondoggle was first brought to my attention during the 2006 legislative session when the Farm Bureau attempted to mandate that all gas pumps in Idaho dispense E10 (10% ethanol). I am the president of United Street Rods of Idaho, a lobbying organization for Idaho auto hobbyists. We were […]
Boise Mayors and Trains Page Two
Someone PLEASE explain what it is with Boise Mayors and trains! Boise Mayor Dave Bieter is now floating another attempt at a downtown trolley to run from the Depot–which is closed to the public most of the time–to downtown among other routes. He tells the business “leaders” at the charity speech for the Chamber of […]
ATV Use On Local Streets?
Shane of Boise suggests the use of four wheeler ATVs on city streets would be a good idea for energy saving and pollution control after seeing one apparently licensed for street use in Germany. The GUARDIAN actually saw one cruising along the autobahn at about 50 mph one time. We suspect they are polluters and […]
Bikers Take Avimor Funds
Leave it to the GUARDIAN to take something as mundane as “Bike Week” and turn it against the likes of foothills developer Avimor. We got a plea from the bike advocates as follows: Dear Mr. Guardian: I am hoping you can make your reader base aware (just in case they’re not) that today is the […]
ACHD Assets Used For Race
After the local TV newsies ran a press release from the Ada County Highway District about clearing snow for the Race to Robie Creek, the GUARDIAN got a couple of inquiries questioning the propriety of plowing the road for the event. ACHD maintains they remove snow on the road each spring and are just doing […]
Commish Cited For Packing Heat At Airport
When Canyon County Commish Dave Ferdinand came through the security lane at the Boise Airport packing heat he didn’t get far. The TSA X-ray tech tipped the cops and in addition to his electronic ticket and boarding pass, the Commish had a paper ticket–charging him with a misdemeanor. He reportedly made his flight but the […]
Engineering Boise Rail Line
Through a $2,000,000 purchase and subsequent donations, Boise acquired about 18 miles of rail line from the Union Pacific in 2000. It was part of a grand “Industrial Park” development scheme of the previous administration at taxpayer expense. The rail in question runs along the east end of Federal Way to the Union Pacific mainline […]
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