ACHD's Road Wizard
Sunday, March 25, 2018
Overland Road and Roosevelt Street intersection has a longer side-street wait than neighboring signals; trash on Warm Springs Avenue between Windsong and Starcrest drives isn't a top priority for "Labor Detail" crews; ACHD to install "Parallel Parking Only" sign on Hill Road where people are diagonally parking and leaving vehicles hanging over the bike lane.
The Road Wizard Replies
Dear Road Wizard: Can the old traffic light controller at Overland Road and Roosevelt Street be upgraded? During the day, it stays green for Overland for about two minutes, even when there is no traffic coming. The other cross streets don't seem to have such a long wait.
Theodore
Road Wizard:
The goal is to move traffic efficiently on Overland. But when green light times are pre-set, drivers on side streets may have to wait at red lights when there are no vehicles approaching on the main route.
The delay is more pronounced at Roosevelt because it is the only signal in the group with left-turn "protected" green arrow signals displayed for all travel directions. The other intersections stick with flashing yellow arrow left turns. As a result, Roosevelt's signal cycle needs to be about twice as long as the others. That is why the red-light wait on Roosevelt is longer as well.
A reason for the green arrows is that northbound and southbound traffic on Roosevelt is relatively balanced. There are fewer gaps in oncoming traffic when the flashing yellow signal is displayed, and some drivers may not be able to make the turn without a green arrow signal. But ACHD will investigate -- perhaps traffic has changed enough to do without the time-consuming protected greens.
Dear Road Wizard: Suddenly there is much trash on the north side of Warm Springs Avenue between Windsong and Starcrest drives. I would normally have no problem with picking up the trash myself; however, this stretch of road has little to no shoulder, there are many curves, and the cars often speed. It is not safe for an individual to adopt that stretch of road. Can arrangements be made to pick up that trash?
Mary
Road Wizard:
This sounds like a job for the "Labor Detail" crews which are made up of sentenced offenders. Each year these crews work with ACHD to clear more than 70 miles of roadway and shoulders and more than 1,000 alley blocks. They collect about 1,500 cubic yards of weeds and debris that are sent to the landfill. They also remove snow and sand from sidewalks, paint over graffiti -- the list goes on.
With all of these duties, there can be a job too small. The Warm Springs trash is a relatively small amount. A crew should get there eventually, but it is not a top priority.
Dear Road Wizard: A reader complained about diagonal parking at the small business center west of the Hill Road "dog bone" roundabout. The parking problem persists and no one has placed a sign warning people to parallel park. I have seen two to four vehicles hang over the designated bike lane. This will force bike riders to move into the driving lane in order to proceed. This, of course, is dangerous both to bike riders and car drivers. As a 41-year resident of this neighborhood, I have never seen this type of parking problem before. I think it is time for ACHD to put its own "no parking" sign up before someone gets injured.
Anonymous
Road Wizard:
ACHD will post a "Parallel Parking Only" sign next week at that location and will ask the Boise Police Department to check on parking habits and enforce the new rule.
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