- Peasley Street Connection Improvement Plan, is a 94-step staircase that will connect Peasley Street to Ann Morrison Park.
- The stairs are being created to help improve bike and pedestrian access to the Park.
- Estimated completion is Spring 2024, however, could take up to a year to complete.
(Below is the transcript from the broadcast story)
Soon it will be easier for people on the Boise Bench to get down to Ann Morrison Park and the Greenbelt.
"They’ll be a great addition to the park and hopefully they’ll be safe too,” says one resident.
The 94-step staircase will connect Peasley Street, up near the Boise Depot, with Ann Morrison Park down below, helping people in the residential area of the Bench, easily access park amenities.
"Super excited that they’re putting in the staircase because it’s going to cut having to go over to capital with all of the traffic,” says Kristi Nelson.
Kristi Nelson has been living on the Bench for forty years, to get to Ann Morrison her options right now are either streets filled with traffic or steep dirt paths.
She says, “When I'm coming from this direction and I'm going down Capitol on the left side on the sidewalk that's against traffic you’re technically not supposed to do that but there's no way to cross over to the other side of Capitol.”
As the weather is getting warmer, Kristi will be biking more. Having the stairs will not only eliminate some of those hazards but also save her some time.
Nelson says, "You can go right there to the first entrance to Ann Morrison and cut off and be at Boise Bicycle Project or all of those places. I'm often going downtown so that's fine I can cut right over to the greenbelt and go over the bridge."
So far crews have cut down trees and created dirt steps along with a concrete slab near the top of the steps.
Crews are moving quickly and hope to have the project done this Spring.
