COMPASS survey results show support for high-capacity transit

More than 11,700 people responded to a survey about a potential future high-capacity transit system from Caldwell to Boise. The survey was designed to better understand what residents would want and need from that type of service to help inform COMPASS's long-range transportation plan. Highlights of the survey include: 

• 39% of respondents would use high-capacity transit primarily to get to work or school, while 32% would use it primarily for social events or a night out.
• Stop locations (41%) and schedule (25%) would be the most important factors in a choice to use high-capacity transit.
• 92% would support or use high-capacity transit at least occasionally if it met their needs; 6% would neither use it nor support it. The remaining 2% indicated they would need more information to answer.

Join the City Go team as they discuss employee transportation challenges, service industry needs, and the changing landscape of travel and parking due to COVID-19. The event will be held virtually on Tuesday, March 16 from 1 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Downtown Boise sees drop in parking, hike in office vacancy

According to data provided by Capital City Development Corp., far fewer people are parking in downtown garages this year compared to last year—about half as much, in fact. BoiseDev compared the number of spaces filled each Wednesday at noon for the last six weeks (28.8% full) against the same mid-day, mid-week timeframe last year (60% full). Meanwhile, Boise commercial real estate firm TOK Commercial reported a "historic high" office vacancy rate of 11.5%. 

Idaho becoming a top destination for remote workers

Since the start of the pandemic, Idaho has seen a jump in people relocating to the state. According to Chris Carpenter, a real estate agent from Keller Williams Real Estate, 40-50% of their clients are moving here from a different state with jobs that will allow them to work remotely. He estimates that people relocating to Idaho prior to the pandemic is about half of what it is currently. 

Bicycle-themed film festival to stream live on March 12

Filmed by Bike, Portland, Oregon’s famed bicycle-themed film festival is making a stop in Idaho on Friday, March 12, 2021. The traveling festival features more than 15 films from all over the world. The virtual Idaho showing will feature a livestream event on March 12 and online access for 30 days. Presented by the Idaho Walk Bike Alliance, the festival raises funds for walk and bike advocacy across the state. 

Why building streets for cars makes buses less efficient

Cities built on grid systems with many four-way intersections provide efficiency in time, distance, and navigability for people on foot. In contrast, the cul-de-sacs and looping roads of suburbia may help reduce vehicle traffic jams, but their discontinuity inhibits pedestrian access to facilities and amenities. For the same reasons, gridded street networks are also more efficient for public transit. 

It's with that mode in mind that DW Rowlands, a graduate student in human geography at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, has been taking a quantitative approach to the study of urban connectivity. As part of her thesis research, she has mapped the street intersections in eight U.S. cities to reveal how some have inherent disadvantages that planners seeking to provide high-quality transit service can't always overcome with more buses alone.

Boise moving forward with transit improvements

Even with fewer workers on the roads, Boise City Council is pushing ahead with plans for more Valley Regional Transit bus service as the Treasure Valley continues to grow and strains the road systems. Included in the plans is a bus rapid transit system along State Street to help bring commuters into the city and ease congestion. Boise also hopes to continue improvements on Vista and Fairview Avenue, both designated as “best in class” routes with the highest ridership. The City sees this time of lower ridership as an opportunity to improve these services when it will be less disruptive to riders.

Idaho Smart Growth book club discussion with Kelli Badesheim

Join Idaho Smart Growth on Friday, March 19 at 7 p.m. for their first virtual book club discussion. Valley Regional Transit Executive Director, Kelli Badesheim, will guide the discussion of "Better Buses, Better Cities: How to Plan, Run, and Win the Fight for Effective Transit" by Steven Higashide. 

Last year, the Boise GreenBike fleet of pedal-only bikes was pulled from downtown Boise as GreenBike seeks funding to replace the fleet with pedal-assist e-bikes. If you've been missing riding the pedal-only GreenBike cruisers, now's your chance to get one of your own. The Boise GreenBike team is launching an online auction which will include 70 of the GreenBikes and other bike-related items from the service. Items will be available starting Monday, March 13.

Lime unveils new e-bike as part of $50 million investment

Lime announced it has allocated $50 million toward its bike-share operation, an investment that has been used to develop a new e-bike and will fund its expansion this year to another 25 cities in North America, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. The latest e-bike has a swappable battery that is interchangeable with Lime's newest scooter, increased motor power, a phone holder, a new handlebar display, an electric lock, and an automatic two-speed transmission. The new bikes are expected to launch and scale this summer. 

Registration is now open for ACHD Commuteride's annual May in Motion campaign. Sign up now to rally your employees and receive public recognition for your level of achievement and commitment to smarter commuting. The Commuteride team has thoughtfully adapted the campaign to provide a safe experience for all participants. 2021 bonus: Telework has been added as an eligible smart commute option for teams who are still working remotely.