Three Cities River Crossing Study
Sponsor: Ada County Highway District
Status: Completed August 2006


The purpose of the study is to conduct environmental analysis and concept level engineering to define an alignment for a new road and bridge connecting the intersection of State Highway 55 and State Street on the north with Chinden Boulevard (U.S. 20/26) on the south. Currently the river crossings in this area are four miles apart. A new river crossing would relieve congestion on Glenwood Street and Eagle Road .

In August 2006, the ACHD Commission recommended Alternative 6 as the preferred alignment for federal highway officials to consider.

 

Traffic Management Center, Location, and Concept
Sponsors: Idaho Transportation Department and various government entities
Status: Completed December 2007

This study will identify a location and begin preliminary design work for a regional Traffic Management Center . Discussions are underway with other agencies regarding potential tenants.

 

Transportation and Land Use Integration Study
Sponsor: Ada County Highway District
Status: Expected completion fall or early winter 2008

ACHD is actively implementing the ideas brought forth through the Communities in Motion and Blueprint for Good Growth through the Transportation and Land Use Integration Plan. The Plan will create new roadway cross-sections for ACHD, a local transportation model, a new method for determining functional classification, a more thorough corridor preservation plan, and needs for land use and urban design changes and standards through the cities in Ada County.

 

Traveler Opinion & Perception (TOP) Survey
Sponsors: Idaho Transportation Department and Federal Highway Administration
Status: Complete, April 2005

This survey was developed as a nationwide study, sampling nearly 2,600 travelers with the overarching objective of understanding the needs and expectations of users of the nation's comprehensive transportation system and the extent to which the existing transportation system meets those needs.  Results from the research will be used to identify possible areas where improvements can be made to increase traveler satisfaction.

While the Federal Highway Administration TOP Survey was nationwide in nature, individual states could participate by conducting their own state-specific TOP survey.  The additional samples provided more analytical power for both intra-state analysis and comparisons to national data.  The Idaho Transportation Department conducted a TOP Survey in Idaho.  The TOP Survey report for Idaho and a TOP Survey presentation regarding the Idaho results are available on this website by clicking the links within this text.

 

Treasure Valley Air Quality Study
Sponsor: Idaho Department of Environmental Quality
Status: To begin in 2008

The study will determine whether the Treasure Valley is NOx or VOC “limited.” The study will develop meteorological profiles of pollution events, compile existing data into one database, validate and analyze the data, and use the data as an input to the CMAQ model to run scenarios that will enable DEQ to measure the effectiveness of control measures.

 

Treasure Valley High Capacity Transit Study
Sponsor: COMPASS and Valley Regional Transit
Status: Ongoing

The Treasure Valley High Capacity Transit Study* consists of three related planning projects:

1. Downtown Boise Circulator Alternatives Analysis
2. Downtown Boise Multi-Modal Center (includes siting, conceptual design/ environmental)
3. Priority Corridor (I-84) Alternatives Analysis

These efforts were bundled under one study given their inter-related characteristics. This study will result in:

1 - A location and conceptual design for the downtown Boise multi-modal center.
2 - A preferred alignment and vehicle/service type (such as streetcar or shuttle) for the downtown Boise circulator.
3 - Identification of options for connections to downtown Boise, specific guidance for development of the regional travel demand model, preliminary development of alternative alignments & modes for the corridor.

* This effort was referred to in previous reports as the “Rail/I-84 Corridor Alternatives Analysis." The title of was changed to better reflect the scope of the effort.

To view Downtown Policy Advisory Committee and Downtown Technical Advisory Committee materials, click here.

Treasure Valley High Capacity Study Briefing Book (13MB) Updated October 5, 2007

 

Treasure Valley Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Strategic Plan
Sponsor: Ada County Highway District
Status: Complete, adopted October 2006

The purpose of this report is to replace the 1999 Treasure Valley ITS Strategic Plan in its entirety. The plan defines the framework and specific deployments to most effectively implement the Treasure Valley ITS program through a cooperative effort by multiple agencies. The plan also provides an approach that leverages these deployments to maximize the benefits of systems integration and the utility of shared resources, particularly communications infrastructure.

 

Treasure Valley Truck Freight Travel Study
Sponsor: COMPASS
Status: Ongoing, expected completion: April 2008

The purpose of this project is to collect data needed to analyze truck freight movements on major regional roadways. Data collected can then be used by COMPASS to develop more reliable through-trip and truck-trip tables for the travel demand model. This project will provide information on truck freight origin/destinations, type/weight of freight, and preferred travel routes in the six county Communities in Motion study area with emphasis on travel routes using congested interstates and principal arterials. It may also provide insight into trucking information.

 

Urban Interchange Concept
Sponsors: Ada County Highway District and the Idaho Transportation Department
Status: Not yet underway

This study will produce a concept for one of the urban interchanges included in COMPASS' Destination 2030 Limited Plan Update , the long-range transportation plan. An urban interchange is similar to freeway interchange in function, but is located at the intersection of two major non-interstate roadways ( Eagle Road and Fairview Avenue , for example). Urban interchanges require less right-of-way than a standard freeway interchange.

 

Urban Land Institute Report
"Urban Land Institute Advisory Services Program Report:
Planning for Growth in the Treasure Valley"
Sponsor:  Ada County
Status:  Complete, May 2005

Link to Full Report

A panel of Urban Land Institute (ULI) members from across the nation visited Ada County in February 2005 to examine area-wide growth issues, including the impact that planned communities could have on the area.  The panel interviewed more than 50 individuals including government officials, residents, business leaders and property owners.  The resulting report details five key recommendations for future growth planning in the region.

 

US 20/26 Corridor Plan
Sponsors: Idaho Transportation Department
Status: To begin in 2008

This study will provide a corridor plan between the City of Parma and the City of Caldwell. More details will be added as they become available.

 

US 20/26 Corridor Preservation Study
Sponsors: COMPASS and the Idaho Transportation Department
Status: On-going, expected completion: September 2008

The US 20/26 Corridor (Chinden Boulevard) is experiencing high growth. The study area begins at Interstate 84 in Caldwell and ends at Eagle Road (SH 55). The US 20/26 Corridor Preservation Study will identify future transportation improvements and determine the need for future right-of-way between Boise and Caldwell. It includes areas within the cities of Boise, Eagle, Meridian, and Caldwell, as well as unincorporated Ada and Canyon Counties.

When complete, the US 20/26 Corridor Preservation Study will identify:

• A vision for how the community would like this roadway to function as part of the regional transportation system
• The improvements and actions necessary for the vision to be implemented
• Additional right-of-way needed to accommodate the future needs in the corridor

 

US 95 Corridor Plan
Sponsor: Idaho Transportation Department
Status: To be determined

Study will deliver a corridor plan for US 95 from the Nevada State Line to District Three boundary north of New Meadows.