ACHD's Road Wizard
Sunday, December 1, 2019
Boise Avenue and Eckert Road wait times; the odd stop bar at Cole Road and Franklin Road; Message from the Road Wizard
The Road Wizard Replies
Dear Road Wizard: I know the intersection of Boise Avenue and Eckert Road has been mentioned in your column in the past, but it continues to be a problem. I drive down Boise Avenue and turn left onto Eckert Road to bring my daughter to school at East Junior High. Today I had to wait six minutes before I could turn left because of the volume of traffic. On other days I have had to wait up to eight minutes. It varies from day to day, but I want you to be aware that this is an ongoing problem. The intersection is probably not busy during the day, but around 7:30 in the morning, it is awful.
Sandy
Road Wizard:
This wizard's crystal ball foresaw some concern about this intersection, largely from a project many miles away. Warm Springs Ave. just west of State Highway 21 has been closed for about a month, and Eckert Rd. is a part of the established detour around the closure. That makes for some additional delay for traffic on Boise Ave. The good news is this work is now complete and Warm Springs Ave. is back open to through traffic.
ACHD has evaluated this intersection a few times in the past for both signal installation and all-way stop control. These past evaluations did not work out in a way that appeared in favor of a change in intersection operation.
The most recent investigation occurred a couple of years ago and recognized the changing development patterns in the area, particularly in Harris Ranch further east. New data will be collected in the next few months for another look.
Dear Road Wizard: Now that the Cole Road and Franklin Road intersection construction is completed can you tell me what's up with the stop bar heading southbound on northern Cole Road? Thank you.
Christy
Road Wizard:
Generally, a stop bar is located about 4 feet in advance of a marked crosswalk. Since the Cole/Franklin intersection widened largely to the north, the railroad requested this specific stop bar be located north of the tracks. This precaution significantly reduces the chances of longer vehicles potentially hanging over into an active rail line. Drivers should note a "Do Not Stop on Tracks" sign just before the stop bar, which is pretty typical for railroad crossing areas.
Dear Road Wizard Readers: The Road Wizard would like to thank all the readers that have sent in questions and curiosities over the years. With the holidays and winter approaching, there will be a significant increase in motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians on the roads. Please be considerate and courteous to your neighbors. The Road Wizard hopes everyone has a safe and Happy Holiday Season!
Please send your questions and concerns to Roadwiz@achdidaho.org .
Road Wizard
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