ACHD's Road Wizard
Sunday, July 31, 2016
Request to remove landscaped median at Hickory Way and Fairview Avenue for a right-turn lane; CC&Rs vs. county parking laws; runoff alongside Bogus Basin Road
The Road Wizard Replies
Dear Road Wizard: I would like to suggest that ACHD remove the landscaping going into the subdivisions off of Hickory Way and Fairview Avenue. It is the intersection where the Capital Church is located. This will help eliminate traffic buildups, especially during morning drive times and on Sundays when church gets out. Because of this landscaping, there is only a left turn and a single lane to go either straight or turn right. Removing the landscaping would provide another lane. It does get frustrating when you are trying to get out and you want to turn right onto Fairview, but because the car in front of you is going straight, you have to wait at the very long light. I really don't think many will miss the trees and rocks.
KJ
Road Wizard:
Many developers request and get approval for attractive median island landscaping at subdivision entrances. But the luster can be lost when a line of bumper-to-bumper cars inhibits the view.
Landscaping can be chopped away at to make room for traffic flow improvements. In fact, ACHD removed some of the median island at Hickory and Fairview in 2005 to install a traffic signal.
ACHD will do an updated traffic count to get the latest on how the signal operates and compare that to a possible landscape-free, right-turn-only-lane future. Residents and other stakeholders will find those numbers handy if the time comes to decide whether beauty or taming the traffic congestion beast gets the higher priority.
Dear Road Wizard: What are the rules to parking a vehicle on the street? Can a neighborhood's "Covenants/Conditions and Restrictions" (CC&Rs) override county rules?
Anonymous
Road Wizard:
A motor vehicle can be parked for seven days on a residential road in unincorporated Ada County. Recreational vehicles are fine for 72 hours.
That may sound like a luxury for subdivision dwellers who have signed CC&R contracts that can be more strict. CC&R rules can't override government parking laws, but they can be enforced by homeowner associations with parties potentially ending up in civil court.
Dear Road Wizard: Bogus Basin Road was recently paved. Since paving, there has been severe run off of uncollected rain water and gravel, causing erosion alongside the road. A lot of gravel was spread across the new pavement. They need to add another storm drain, especially before the winter causes more runoff.
Lynn
Road Wizard:
Unusually heavy rainfall would be a blessing with the recent wildfires in the area. But any time that type of weather hits, erosion can happen along Bogus Basin Road as well as many other Foothills roads. The pavement improvements on Bogus Basin Road north of Curling Drive are not to blame, however.
ACHD cleaned up the gravel and repaired the erosion damage, but that is just a temporary fix. A sidewalk is planned for construction in 2018 to connect homes further north on Bogus Basin Road to Highlands Elementary School. The sidewalk, which would include a curb and gutter system, should prevent erosion.
The sidewalk is a separate project from ACHD's overall plan to improve Bogus Basin Road. In 2014 the ACHD Commission approved spending an estimated $6.5 million to pave and enhance safety over the next several years, eventually covering the entire roughly 16 mile stretch to the Bogus Basin Recreation area. The Hill Road to Curling segment has already been completed.
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Road Wizard
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Garden City, ID 83714
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