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200 ft Staircase planned to connect Boise Bench to Ann Morrison Park

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  • Peasley Street Connection Improvement Project planned to begin construction this December
  • 94-step staircase with grooved tire tracks for bikes
  • Estimated completion time is around Spring 2024

I'm Jessica Davis Your Boise Bench neighborhood reporter reporting from Peasley Street. Where soon a 94 step staircase will be built from Peasley Street all the way to an Morrison Park to improve pedestrian and bike access to parks around the city.
"With all the residents up here there's really no simple way to get to the park and it's such an amenity it's a beautiful park, it's right below their homes and there's really no good access to it," says Kevin Werre.

This winter construction will begin for the Peasley Street Connection Improvement Project, a 94-step staircase starting from the Peasley Crescent Rim area, down to Ann Morrison Park, improving park access for residents.

"Here we have a lot of student housing significant number of residents that live in this area by the park and really if they wanted to get to the Depot Bench area, they're going to have to up Americana so this creates a safe connection for both ped as well as bikes,” says Doug Holloway, Director of Boise Parks and Recreation.

The stairs will be around 200 feet, with various landing ramps in addition to a grooved tire track, for bikers to take their bikes up and down the steps.

Kevin Werre says, "My initial was yea you just shoulder your bike and carry it up the stairs which I would probably do of course but no adding the groove is a great idea.”

Kevin Werre has been biking in Boise for over 30 years, and his ride getting to Ann Morrison is far from easy.

Werre continues, “When the roads get bad in the winter, I walk I use the same route here, so I come down Peasley, then I take a little dirt path down residence and cut across the park so the staircase, I'll use it every day.”

The estimated cost for the project is 850,000 dollars but it shouldn't take more than a year to complete.

“We're just excited to get it done and see what kind of usage it gets I believe it will probably be one of the more popular connections to be able to get folks from the bench area down to downtown,” says Doug Holloway.

Construction is scheduled begin this December and should be completed next year in Spring 2024.