Big Changes Coming to Downtown Boise Street
Downtown Boise could be seeing some big changes soon. According to the Idaho Statesman, there is a proposal to reduce the number of lanes on 8th street and add more bike lanes to "create a bike connectivity network Downtown".
According to the Statesman, Boise’s urban renewal agency is proposing:
- reduce traffic to one northbound shared car and bike lane on the block between Bannock and Jefferson
- add a southbound bike-only lane buffered from the northbound lane by an elevated bike curb
- replace the parking spots on each side of 8th with a single back-in angled parking lane.
- It would widen the sidewalk from 14 feet to 25 feet on one side of the street, which could allow for outdoor seating at some restaurants along the street
- Between Jefferson and State Streets, the sidewalks would stay at 14 feet wide. Traffic would go from three northbound lanes to two
Construction -if approved- would begin this Summer. According to the Statesman, the proposal will be discussed at a Boise City Council work session this afternoon (1/15).