EAGLE, ID — Mace Park is finally cleared to be built off Eagle Road, creating 25 new parking spots for the Greenbelt walking path.
- Mace Park has been stuck in the planning phase for over 10 years.
- Mace Park is a 3-acre 25-spot parking lot.
- This will create a closer access point to the Greenbelt walking path.
- The plans show it is right-in right-out only.
- Many are excited about the new safer parking area.
- Many are worried this may cause backups in traffic.
(Below is the transcript from the broadcast story)
As of right now, Eagle residents who are seeking a nice walk on the Greenbelt, park here on this shoulder off Eagle Road, only feet away from one of the most active roadways in Ada County. I'm your Eagle neighborhood reporter Alexander Huddleston where soon the city of Eagle is building a new parking lot for safer access to the Greenbelt.
Right off this busy fairway is an entrance to the quiet green belt walking path that runs along the Boise River.
"We come here all the time. We just love to get out and be with nature," said Julian Gray.
Gray frequently visits the Greenbelt with her three daughters. Like any mother, her children's safety is a main priority.
Safety is also a major priority for the city of Eagle and that is why they are finally moving forward with plans to build a mini-park off Mace Road, bringing 25 new parking spots along the river off Eagle Road.
Gray explained, "The street is busy, my kids are kind of wild sometimes, I just feel a parking area would be a lot safer to be able to come and walk to."
However, not all locals agree. In fact, Kim Thomas believes it may make traffic more dangerous on Eagle Road.
Thomas explained, "There is ten more years of traffic today than back when they closed this road."
This road that Thomas refers to is Mace Road, which is where the new amenities will be located.
Plans show drivers will have to turn right to get back onto Eagle Road, but that's if they obey the traffic pattern.
"My concern is are they going to be able to keep it as a right in right out? or are you going to have people who defy that," questioned Thomas.
Thomas and some of her neighbors pointed to a similar problem at the other end of their subdivision which they say is consistently ignored.
Construction for those upgrades will start sometime this year, but ITD tells me they're still working to finalize a timeline. Reporting from the Greenbelt, I'm your Eagle neighborhood reporter Alexander Huddleston, Idaho News 6.
