ACHD's Road Wizard
Sunday, October 21, 2018
Developer of a large distribution center in Nampa will need to make road improvements to handle extra traffic; an all-way stop at Royal Boulevard and Lusk Street in not planned; part of Broadway Avenue was resurfaced with a "micro seal"
The Road Wizard Replies
Dear Road Wizard: I realize the Amazon distribution center on Star Road isn't in ACHD's jurisdiction, but how will it affect our surrounding roads? And have there been any plans to mitigate thousands of truck and employee trips? I would foresee a lot more traffic backing things up in the Ten Mile/Franklin Road area.
Scott in Star
Road Wizard:
I wonder how "Alexa" would answer this question. Nampa city leaders have approved the construction of a distribution center, and there is speculation that Amazon is behind it. Amazon already has jobs posted online for this "prime" location, which may employ a couple of thousand people. Jobs include shift and driver resource managers - but who has the job of handling the new traffic?
The developer is required to mitigate distribution center-related traffic impacts. First, they had to perform a traffic impact study to determine the anticipated burden on the street system and what needs to be done to improve the roads. Exactly what those changes will be have not been formalized - but the developer will have to pay for them.
Dear Road Wizard: Has there ever been any thought of making Royal Boulevard and Lusk Street a four-way stop? With the increased traffic from the LaPoint apartments and the new food options in the Lusk District, it seems like a four-way stop would help improve safety at that intersection.
Erin
Road Wizard:
ACHD did an investigation into a four-way stop at this location because of this letter to the Road Wizard.
ACHD found that traffic volumes on Royal are far greater than the approaches on Lusk. Royal connects with Capitol Boulevard, while Lusk has a dead end. All-way stop control tends to work best when traffic volumes on each of the legs are roughly the same.
A bad crash history can override that general rule, but there haven't been any reported crashes at the Royal and Lusk intersection in 15 years. For now, it will stay a two-way stop with the signs posted for those approaching on Lusk.
Dear Road Wizard: Broadway Avenue was resurfaced this summer and it is already full of cracks and was rough when it was finished. Manhole covers were not raised or cement poured around them. Rose Hill Street and other roads were done very smooth and manholes raised. My question is why such a lousy job on Broadway, which is an entrance to Boise and Boise State University?
Dan
Road Wizard:
There are several types of road resurfacing techniques, and pavement specialists determine which work best for current road conditions. We most commonly hear about chip seals in Ada County, a treatment that preserves roads and provides a tough wearing surface in the form of tiny rocks.
But the Idaho Transportation Department decided to use a "micro seal" on Broadway between Rossi Street and the New York Canal. A micro seal is similar to a chip seal, but the rocks are crushed into a smaller size. A micro seal doesn't result in the same consistent road surface because there is less material to cover up any flaws. And the coverage is too thin to require adjusting manholes.
Roads chosen for micro surfacing generally have low to moderate distress and not many cracks, as ITD determined was the case with this part of Broadway. However, Broadway between Rossi and University Drive got extensive resurfacing work which included manhole adjustments.
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