ACHD's Road Wizard
Sunday, December 2, 2018
Not enough traffic to justify a crosswalk/traffic light at the Verado/Ustick intersection; not enough pedestrian traffic to justify a pedestrian crossing with flags at 32nd Street/Hill Road; cut-through traffic at Millbrook Way and Eckert Road crosses Greenbelt
The Road Wizard Replies
Dear Road Wizard: Given the high-density housing that is going in on the south side of Ustick Road between Eagle Road and Locust Grove Road, are there any plans for installing a crosswalk/traffic light at the Verado/Ustick intersection? When traveling west on Ustick, it is extremely difficult to make a left turn off of Ustick onto Verado during any high-traffic times. Coming off Verado and trying to go west onto Ustick can be very challenging, and then trying to go across two lanes of traffic just to get to the center lane.
Jean
Road Wizard:
Just two years ago this location was a working farm. Now there is a bumper crop of homes. Plus, there is still a quarter mile of Ustick frontage to the west of Verado waiting for development.
Even so, there are no immediate plans for a signal at Verado and Ustick due to the relatively low traffic coming and going from Verado. As for pedestrians, it is hard to make a case for a marked crosswalk at Verado because it is likely to have low pedestrian traffic. If a signal or pedestrian crossing were to go in, it would make more sense for it to be at nearby Troxel Way, which would better serve people going to the small but well-used Champion Park.
Dear Road Wizard: : Would ACHD consider a pedestrian crossing with flags at 32nd Street/Hill Road where the Buena Vista Trail comes down to Hill? Hill and the foothills trails are increasing in use and the crossing should be made safer. Extending the sidewalks on the north side would be a challenge, since the retaining wall would need to be pushed farther into the hill.
Anonymous
Road Wizard:
Great trailhead, but it is really the only pedestrian destination on the north side of Hill Road, since no sidewalk exists on that side. That limits the potential crossing activity, and the effectiveness of a crosswalk.
Remember, Hill Road at 32nd Street still has a legal crosswalk by Idaho Code's definition. Even though a crosswalk isn't painted, drivers must yield to pedestrians crossing because it is the intersection of two publicly maintained roads. There is street lighting at this location, which helps with pedestrian visibility, but ACHD currently only allows hand-held crossing flags at marked crosswalks. As with any crosswalk, pedestrians should enter the street and cross with caution, flags or no flags.
Dear Road Wizard: At the corner of Millbrook Way (brand new street) and Eckert Road, in the Harris Ranch area, the Greenbelt is like a super-highway paralleling Eckert. Bikers, walkers, and runners move through the intersection at relatively high speeds crossing Millbrook with hardly a pause. Drivers are using the street as a cut-through route and barely pause at the stop sign. When they do pause they are right in the middle of the pathway. Please consider stop signs on the Greenbelt and warnings to drivers from both sides of the intersection.
Jim
Road Wizard:
Millbrook will surely attract drivers who want to avoid driving farther along Warm Springs to take a right on Eckert. But with the stop sign on Millbrook approaching Eckert, drivers already get the message that they must stop and pathway traffic has the right of way. "Stop" markings are already on the Greenbelt, but ACHD will look at the possibility of trail-ahead signs on the Millbrook leg of the intersection.
Have a Question for the Wizard?
E-mail it to: Roadwiz@achdidaho.org
Or mail it to:
Road Wizard
3775 Adams St.
Garden City, ID 83714
You may include photos of a particular situation, but photos cannot be returned.