News and Press Releases Monday, July 24, 2023

Safety improvements are now in place at a popular downtown Boise intersection.

The intersection of State and 11th Streets in Boise is now equipped with new signage and a leading pedestrian interval (LPI) to increase the safety of pedestrians who use the intersection.

The intersection now features flashing signs, reminding drivers turning left to yield to pedestrians. The signs are on the signals’ mast arms and will illuminate when the push button is activated at the crosswalk. This safety feature is designed and manufactured by the PedSafety, Campbell Company out of Boise. PedSafety was instrumental in this project, aiding ACHD in configuring the signs to work seamlessly within the traffic signal system.

A leading pedestrian interval (LPI) was also implemented at the intersection, which allows extra time for pedestrians to make their way into a crosswalk before vehicle traffic proceeds through the intersection. Drivers and pedestrians will notice that the “walk” sign starts three to five seconds before the traffic light on the adjacent side of the intersection turns green. The extra time allows the pedestrian to be more visible to vehicles as they cross, particularly for vehicles turning at the intersection.

The biggest change pedestrians will notice is that they now need to use the push button to activate the “walk” signal to cross. By tying the flashing warning signs to actual pedestrian push button activations, the signs will only flash when there is a crossing pedestrian, a change that will help maintain drivers’ attention over the long term.

The goal of the improvements is to increase safety for pedestrians who use the intersection.

“This is a high traffic area for pedestrians and bicyclists, and it is crucial for all users to be able to navigate this area safely,” said ACHD Commission President Alexis Pickering. “I am proud of our team members who quickly implemented these improvements.”

The intersection is part of ACHD’s Leading Pedestrian Interval Initiative, which involves designing and implementing LPIs at every signalized intersection under ACHD jurisdiction throughout the county.

ACHD also continues to examine opportunities for safety improvements throughout its network. Staff members regularly coordinate with partner agencies and examine crash data obtained through ITD’s Office of Highway Safety to identify areas of concern. ACHD experts use a variety of tools and design changes to improve traffic flow and increase safety for all users.