BOISE, Idaho — ACHD has over 40 identified projects in Southern Ada County to enhance the previously farmland-dominated area.
- Residents face disruptions such as temporary road closures and detours, leading to some safety concerns and longer commutes.
- Speed bumps and roundabouts, implemented to address traffic issues, have generated mixed reactions, with some residents expressing worry about accidents and traffic flow.
(Below is the transcript from the broadcast story)
You don't have to look far in Southern Ada County to find construction crews with ACHD.
"It's a necessity," says one resident.
The district has more than 40 identified projects in Southern Ada County to improve the area that was once mostly farmland.
But with updates come temporary road closures on some heavily traveled streets, sending drivers on detours. This can cause disruptions for residents like Brett Compton, who lives next to a speed bump on a detour route on Maple Grove.
"People are slowing down and throwing trash out, and it's just been very hectic," Compton said.
Speed bumps were installed to help slow the traffic passing through residential detour routes, but that hasn't solved the problem.
"We hear some pretty big crashes," Compton said.
One car even drove over Compton's lawn, leaving behind tire marks. "They might have been trying to get around it, but they're just driving on the grass," he explained.
And for families, come concerns for kids.
"There are children when they get off the bus," one resident said.
"I think it is a safety issue in the children's areas," Compton agreed.
The congested streets are also causing longer commutes. Juanita Fleming says she now has to pass through three neighborhoods on her way to work, adjusting her habits to leave earlier.
"It cut off my workout time because I have to go get out, and now we're going through disrupting other neighborhoods, and I believe a lot of them don't like it," she said.
"I know when I drive through, I see a lot of traffic," one resident said.
Many of these projects are for the development of roundabouts, which some residents are worried about.
"I see a lot of people who don't know how to enter or exit," Brett said. "There are a lot of accidents that don't get reported. And if you have traffic that's heavier on the east/west, those who want to go north/south have a hard time getting in."
At other roundabouts in the Boise area, like at Eagle and Amity, drivers might be finding their stride.
"I've noticed people are getting better at it," Mike said. "You'd go through those roundabouts, and it was getting a lot better."
With two roundabouts underway and more planned in the future, there is still a long road ahead for residents in Southern Ada County.
"It's going to be a long eight months," Compton said.
