ACHD's Road Wizard
Sunday, July 2, 2017
Concrete drop off will be made smooth as construction progresses at the Fairview Avenue and Cole Road intersection; no left-turn exits make it tough for Cloverdale Road residents to get home from a gas station at Franklin Road; despite great effort, it's tough to prevent illegal parking at the Simplot Sports Complex
The Road Wizard Replies
Dear Road Wizard: Driving through the construction at the intersection of Fairview Avenue and Cole Road, I noticed that the new road is 18 to 24 inches above the road surface I was driving on. How will you get it to match up with the sidewalk on the south side of the road? How will it meet up with the remainder of Fairview? Will this be a giant hump in the road through the intersection?
Curious on Cloverdale
Road Wizard:
It sounds like the makings of a cruel new style of speed bump, but it's really just part of the construction process.
The intersection is being rebuilt with concrete, and the north leg was done first. Concrete will be placed on the south leg next. The road surfaces will match up in the end, and the sidewalks will be replaced and made level with the intersection. Not to lay on the concrete too thick, but it will be a lovely smooth surface in the end.
Dear Road Wizard: My question is about the Maverik at the corner of Cloverdale and Franklin roads. There is no way to get out of it directly to head south on Cloverdale. For the folks who live south on Cloverdale, this creates an inconvenience. Are there any plans to put a U-turn allowance on northbound Cloverdale so that traffic could have some option to head south? Forrest
Forrest
Road Wizard:
The Maverik developers knew what they were getting into when they chose this corner.
Cloverdale and Franklin had been rebuilt and widened with seven lanes on each leg of the intersection so driveways at the corners had to prohibit left-turn exits. This type of access restriction is done to improve traffic flow and reduce crash potential.
Unfortunately, U-turns to drive south on Cloverdale aren't allowed because there isn't room for larger vehicles to make that type of turn.
Dear Road Wizard: When there are baseball games at the Simplot Sports Complex, the people park in the bike lanes and around the corners of intersections. I have seen close calls with kids on bikes having to go into traffic lanes. I have called the Boise Police Department so many times I think they know my number. Could you use your power of persuasion to help with maybe some fresh red paint in the no-parking areas? Also, some of the "no parking here to corner" signs are missing.
From a 17-year Columbia Village resident. S.S.
Road Wizard:
According to the Idaho Youth Soccer Association, it's the rule-breaking parents attending sports events that need persuading
The organization says their soccer games on weekends bring out an estimated 2,000 people to the sports complex. And that number doesn't include the various baseball and softball events.
Idaho Youth Soccer routinely sends out reminder emails about parking rules. I contacted East Boise Youth Baseball and Softball about doing the same thing. But some people will still park illegally to be as close as possible to their game location.
Police officers can't devote a whole Saturday to monitor parking, but they encourage people to report illegally parked cars.
ACHD posted additional no-parking signs last fall. Red no-parking-paint on curbs isn't done on public streets, but even without paint or signs, parking in bike lanes, parking within 20 feet of a crosswalk, or parking within 30 feet of a stop sign is illegal.
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Road Wizard
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