ACHD's Road Wizard
Sunday, February 07, 2016
Sidewalk on Pine Street between Main Street and Locust Grove in Meridian; resident worries about road damage from beet trucks using Kuna-Mora Road; completion of the Lake Hazel Road connection to Cole Road means the "No Thru Trucks"Â sign can go
The Road Wizard Replies
Dear Road Wizard: Who would I talk to or petition in order to get a sidewalk placed on Pine Street in Meridian? I run with my dog daily and the crosswalk that is currently near Pine and Stonehenge Way is not well marked. There is no crosswalk near the Five Mile Creek pathway to cross back over to a side of the street with a sidewalk. Is there any way to either get a sidewalk all the way from Locust Grove Road to Main Street on Pine, or to at least get a safe place for a pedestrian to cross to a sidewalk? Happy safe walking/running from myself and my dog, Yeager.
Kristen
Road Wizard:
No petition will be necessary - a sidewalk is already on the schedule. The city of Meridian and the Meridian Development Corporation back the plan, as does ACHD. The mile-long stretch of Pine between Meridian Road and Locust Grove will get a sidewalk, and the design process is already underway. However, construction isn't expected until 2018. That is at least 14 dog years before Yeager will be able to enjoy the improvements. As we wait, ACHD will check signs and markings on Pine and update them as needed.
Dear Road Wizard: I have noticed that a lot of loaded beet trucks have been using Kuna-Mora, Cloverdale and Kuna roads to shortcut from Interstate 84 to Meridian Road. I would imagine that these trucks are not light, and am concerned that they could cause damage or rapid degradation of the road surfaces. Is the use of these roads by those trucks allowed? How heavy a truck is allowed on these roads?
John in Kuna
Road Wizard:
Perhaps some truck drivers use this route to "beet" traffic. (Sorry, couldn't help myself.) But it's more likely that beet haulers are traveling these roads for legitimate local business. Either way, Kuna-Mora Road in particular is a suitable route. It's designated as an "expressway" because it links the freeway to well-used "arterial" routes. The maximum truck weight allowed in Idaho without an excess weight permit is 80,000 pounds, even on rural roads like Kuna-Mora. However, a tractor-trailer of that size can do as much damage to pavement as 9,600 cars, according to research revealed when the Idaho Transportation Department commissioned a study in 2010. ACHD has jurisdiction over these local roads, but despite the potential for damage, will not restrict trucks unless a road crosses a bridge that can't support a truck's weight. However, as we find out in the next question, some truck restrictions in more residential areas have nothing to do with poundage.
Dear Road Wizard: I notice that the "No Thru Trucks" sign prohibiting those traveling eastbound remains at the Lake Hazel/Maple Grove intersection even after the (wonderful!) recent Lake Hazel extension connection to Cole Road. I'm curious why trucks are still not allowed even though it's no longer necessary to travel directly through any subdivision.
Mary
Road Wizard:
ACHD installed the sign about five years ago when Lake Hazel still dead-ended, and many drivers were using residential streets off of Lake Hazel as a link between Maple Grove and Cole. Residents didn't like their neighborhood serving as a stand-in Lake Hazel, and ACHD installed the "No Thru Trucks" sign to at least keep larger vehicles out. The sign has outlived its purpose and will be removed.
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Road Wizard
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