WEST BOISE, Idaho — The one-mile stretch of Fairview Avenue between Cole Road and Curtis Road is consistently Boise’s most dangerous road for injury crashes — with city data showing 374 crashes in the past five years, including 11 serious injuries and one death.
Now, a $1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation will help the city study and improve safety along the corridor without pulling funds from other projects.
“I think this is a corridor that we know is unsafe, but we don't have any planned improvements in the near future,” said Bre Brush with the City of Boise Mayor's Office.
WATCH: Hear from the city and neighbors about safety on Fairview
Brush explained that Fairview is a hot spot for serious crashes.
“Fairview historically, the whole extent of Fairview that goes through Boise, Meridian, and beyond is the highest crash corridor in the two-county area,” she said.
An important note — Fairview is "consistently" the most dangerous, while other roads may have a year with a lot of crashes, Fairview has the most on average over 5 years.
Overland Road from Orchard to Maple Grove is another hot spot for injury crashes in town, though it still falls short of Fairview's record.
Neighbors share mixed reactions
Neighbors have differing opinions on the safety of Fairview.
Some weren't phased by the road being called the city's most dangerous stretch.
“I think it is. Yeah, I agree,” said Lorrie Roberts, who lives off of Curtis and Fairview. “I've had to be really careful, you know, people speed and tailgate you.”
“Everybody speeds through here. It's 35, everybody's going 45 or 50," Jacob Reese, who lives off of Liberty and Fairview.
Others were surprised to learn Fairview is Boise's most dangerous corridor.
“I'm surprised to hear that because I've never seen a wreck here," said Will Locke.
“I would not have thought that it's regarded the most dangerous stretch of Fairview," Mark Brough.
Others said Fairview is just like any other road in town.
“I think it's fine, I think it's just like any other mile stretch. It's got ins and outs and people turning and it doesn't bother me in the slightest," said Susan Myers, who lives in Star. “I don't see how it's dangerous — there's other places that are way more dangerous.”
Next steps for safety improvements
It'll start with a study period tracking past and current conditions on the road, followed by two years of testing solutions before finalizing a permanent plan using the data they gather.
The grant will allow the city to work directly with residents and business owners along the corridor to understand needs and design effective changes.
“Working with the business owners, understanding what their needs are, [and] understanding the needs of the people who drive, bus and bike on this corridor every day,” Brush said.
Now that funding is secured, the city is working on its plan for the study period, which they expect to begin later this year.
You can look into crash data in your neighborhood here.
