ACHD, Boise break ground on 30th Street Extension Project
On Wednesday, Ada County Highway District (ACHD) and Boise City officials gathered to break ground on a new north-south roadway connection in Boise’s North End between Fairview Avenue and State Street. Construction on the nine-month-long project will get underway on Friday, February 1.
The new five-lane roadway will be called Whitewater Park Boulevard and will align with the existing 30th and 31st streets and Rose Street, running parallel to the Boise River between Fairview Avenue and State Street. The road will have two travel lanes in each direction and a center turn lane. Boise has completed a Master Plan for the area which will include the Esther Simplot and White Water parks.
“Today, we have a chance to get it right up front, making sure the new road and today’s neighborhood work well together – while laying the foundation for what this area will become in future decades. This extraordinary opportunity comes from the close cooperation between the City of Boise, the neighborhood, the Capital City Development Corporation and ACHD,” said ACHD Commission President Sara Baker.
Other project features include bike lanes, sidewalks, center medians north of Pleasanton Avenue, and three pedestrian crossing signals. In addition, a two-lane roundabout at Stewart Avenue, the entrance to the future Esther Simplot Park, will be constructed. The project also includes upgrades to city sewer services.
Construction is anticipated to be complete at the end of October.
Upon completion of the Extension, the nearby 27th Street will be re-striped between Main Street and State Street to include one travel lane in each direction, a center turn lane and bike lanes; currently, the road includes two lanes in each direction and does not have bike lanes or turn lane. The new Whitewater Park Boulevard will relieve traffic on the over-burdened 27th and 23rd streets.
Numerous planning studies, dating back as far as 1968, have identified the need for a north-south connection to provide better access to downtown Boise, ACHD officials said.
Since early 2000, ACHD and Boise City, with significant public involvement, have focused efforts on designing a roadway that is compatible with the city’s long-term vision for the 30th Street area.
The $4.5 million construction project will be constructed by Alta Construction of Boise.
For more information on the 30th Street Extension project, visit www.achdidaho.org. To view Boise City’s 30th Street Area Master Plan, visit,http://www.cityofboise.org/Departments/PDS/Transportation/30thStreet/page14010.aspx
(photo: courtesy ACHD)
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