The Boise Bus Blog

Thanks for reading

2010-01-06T15:00:00.002-07:00

I've decided to retire the Boise Bus Blog for a few reasons - mainly, because my blogging interests are elsewhere, but also because the political climate in Idaho remains inhospitable to improved public transit. I'm leaving this site online as an archive and I will occasionally be blogging on transit topics at Sidewalk 208, so I invite you to check that out. Thanks for reading. See you on the bus!

TJ Thomson for Boise City Council

2009-09-18T14:25:00.002-06:00

My letter in the Idaho Statesman today ...

Spokane has a population of 198,081. Spokane Transit - funded in part by a small local option sales tax - offers 40 bus routes that run all day long, plus evenings and weekends, including Sundays.

Boise has a population of 198,638. Valley Ride has 15 city bus routes, none running past 7 p.m. nor on Sundays, and only eight of which run on Saturday. Some routes run only once an hour.

Boise City Council candidate TJ Thomson recognizes that our city could do much better when it comes to public transit, and that's a key reason I will be voting for him on Nov. 3. What we really need to do is elect TJ to the Idaho Legislature where - eventually, along with enough other forward-thinking people from the western part of the Treasure Valley who are not now serving - he can pass local-option legislation that allows Boiseans and other Treasure Valley citizens to make our own transit decisions.

For now, however, let's get TJ on Boise City Council, where he will pursue better, more usable bus service; promote safer biking and walking routes; and lay the groundwork for light rail in our growing Valley.

JULIE FANSELOW, Boise

On a detour ...

2008-10-19T21:04:00.003-06:00

I've been away from the blog for a while, mainly due to a new job I started October 1 that restricts my independent blogging on political and policy topics.

I'd like to hear from anyone who would be interested in occasionally writing here on transit topics, especially once the Idaho Legislature reconvenes in January. If you support better transit in the Treasure Valley and would be able and willing to write about it here, let me know via email to juliewrites at yahoo dot com. (Please put "bus blog" in the subject line.)

Another opportunity for input

2008-09-23T10:25:00.005-06:00

The Idaho Transportation Department is surveying Idahoans about what sort of transportation we use to get to work, school, shopping, dining, or entertainment. The survey coordinator says: "For this initial phase of the project, we are gathering information from Providers of public transportation and mobility services, from Human Service Agencies, and from current and potential Users of any form of transportation other than a single-occupant automobile or pick-up truck. Users include virtually every citizen of the State of Idaho. Based on who you are and what organization you may represent, you may qualify to answer more than one of three different surveys."

Click here to take one or more of the surveys. The ITD wants to hear from us before October 6.

Bus stop perks: your ideas needed

2008-09-12T17:21:00.002-06:00

I recently joined Valley Regional Transit's Regional Coordination Council, a committee that helps VRT make the most of SAFETEA-LU funding from the federal government and advises VRT on other projects. I was asked to join the RCC as an advocate for transit consumers.

Valley Ride is nearly done installing its fixed bus stops across Ada and Canyon counties, and there is some money available to do improvements at those stops. These might include benches, curb cuts and pads, shelters, and bike racks.

Do you know of any stops that especially need amenities like these? If you have ideas for Valley Ride, you can either put them in the comments below or email them to Mark Carnopis, VRT community relations manager, at mcarnopis at valleyregionaltransit dot org.

Also of note: Valley Ride is taking steps to get rid of the existing benches along its routes that are NOT at the fixed bus stop locations. There's long been confusion among riders who felt a bench automatically signified a bus stop. VRT does hope to have benches at most stops in the future.

Valley hails start of fixed-stop era

2008-09-09T22:36:00.003-06:00

About three dozen people gathered on The Grove in downtown Boise on Tuesday to mark the start of fixed-stop bus service in the Treasure Valley. Although some signs remain to be installed, area leaders and transit officials Tuesday hailed the fixed stops as a sign that Valley Ride, the area's bus system, is getting ready for bigger and better improvements to come.

Mayor Dave Bieter pointed to reports of overflowing buses as evidence that the area's appetite for transit is growing. Before and after the noon event, Bieter and BSU history professor Todd Shallat led people on free bus tours tracing the same route that the proposed downtown circulator streetcar would take. "It's a fluid process and there's a lot of legwork to do," he said, yet the streetcar revival is generating "more buzz and excitement than any other project" on the city's docket.

Several leaders from outlying towns rode buses to the event. Mayor John Evans of Garden City cited the benefits of regional cooperation, noting that when Garden City tried to run its own bus system years ago, one driver calling in sick meant 100 percent of the staff was missing. He added that there were 17 people on the bus he rode to downtown Boise mid-morning.

There was only one empty seat on the bus that Meridian councilmen Charlie Rountree and David Zaremba and state Senator Shirley McKague took to Boise. Zaremba described how, en route, they met a young couple with a baby in a stroller and a man with a bike using the bus, too. Zaremba expressed support for a local-option tax to enact the Treasure Valley in Transit plan to bring far better, more frequent service to the area, as well as better intra-city service to Meridian, the largest city in Idaho without its own bus service.

Afterward, I asked McKague whether she, too, would support local option authority. "Oh, people are taxed too much already," she said. I explained that a local-option tax would only go into effect if two-thirds of the voters wanted it on a vote held on a major election date. She was non-committal but thanked me for the information. If you live in District 20, perhaps you'd like to contact McKague to let her know that you appreciate her support of Vallley Ride and that you, too, would like to have the opportunity to decide for yourself whether we can invest in better local transit.

Boise bus stop bash set 9/9

2008-09-05T22:25:00.004-06:00

A celebration of Boise's new fixed-stop bus system and a showcase of the proposed Downtown Boise Streetcar Initiative are planned for midday Tuesday, September 9, on the Grove in downtown Boise.

Valley Ride reports that more than 725 bus stop signs are now in place throughout Ada County, signifying that the day has come when bus riders need to use those marked stops to catch a ride, rather than flagging a bus down willy-nilly. But most bus riders seem happy with the switch, since it should make the buses run more efficiently (and since stops are rarely more than a few blocks apart). Hey, if it'll end the maddening experience of people asking for stops every block on State Street, I'm all for it.

The Bus Stops Here event set for noon Tuesday on the Grove will include plenty of speechifying by area dignitaries. There will also be some live music and informative displays, plus the chance to hop a specially designated bus for tours of the proposed streetcar route anytime between 10:45 and 11:45 a.m. and again from 1:15 to 2:15 p.m. with Mayor Dave Bieter and Boise State history prof Todd Shallat narrating the sights.

“We really encourage people who live, shop or work downtown to hop on board and check out the tours,” says Kelli Fairless, executive director of Valley Regional Transit (VRT). “It’ll provide people a glimpse of what it would be like to be able to hop on a streetcar, and ride to the other side of downtown to run an errand, meet up with friends, conduct a business meeting or whatever.”

“The streetcar will be the first portion of what we hope will be a larger transit system to serve the entire Treasure Valley,” Mayor Bieter said. “In addition to being a great way to get around downtown, the streetcar will also provide a real economic boost for the underserved areas of downtown.”

Better transit = fewer road, bridge $$$ woes

2008-09-02T18:28:00.004-06:00

Gov. Butch Otter and the Idaho Transportation Board held a hearing in Boise last week to talk about the sorry state of our roads and bridges. They made a very good case for the need for additional revenues, and the incredible complexity of solving a funding gap that seems to be growing by the day. (We all learned, for example, that liquid asphalt rose in price from $175 to $1,000 per ton between last December and this July.) But state officials still seem to be resisting the idea that better transit must be a major part of any plan to relieve pressure on Idaho roads and bridges.

I didn't make it to the morning portion of the meeting, though Sharon Fisher of New West did, and she recounts it here. Apparently John Horsley, executive director of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, advocated for a proposal called Fight Gridlock Now that includes transit as part of the solution. And I was only able to stay for about an hour of the late-afternoon hearing, at which point no public testimony had yet been taken.

Idaho has not raised its fuel tax since 1996, and vehicle registration fees have been flat since 1997. It's probably past time to raise both, but the state ought to consider curbing registration increases for people who drive fuel-efficient vehicles (who are already saving at the pump) and/or who hold their mileage below certain levels. Higher registration fees and fuel taxes would also give people additional incentives to explore transit, telecommuting, carpooling, and other options that will lessen the wear and tear on our roads, bridges, and lungs. And because fewer miles driven also means lower fuel tax collections, the state must also consider tolls on some roads and bridges.

Of course, all of this may fall flat in Idaho's rabidly anti-tax legislature, but fee increases - coupled with conservation incentives - are the only way we'll be able to fund safe roads and bridges in our state. This fall, candidates need to be asked how they'd fund road and bridge upkeep *and* how they'll make transit part of the solution.

August 26 transportation meeting in Boise

2008-08-15T15:07:00.005-06:00

What's wrong with this tagline?!

Although Gov. Butch Otter and the Idaho Transportation Board skipped Boise on their round of hearings earlier this summer, they're finally giving capital city residents a chance to be heard. Otter, the ITB, and Sen. Mike Crapo will hold a transportation funding conference on August 26 in Boise at the Boise Centre on the Grove, 850 W. Front Street.

From 9 a.m. to noon, experts will testify on national and local transportation needs and discuss what was heard at the July meetings. The public comment period will take place from 4 to 7 p.m. Come ready to voice your support for public transit (and a local option tax to help pay for it); bike and walking paths; and other projects that will help Idahoans reduce our dependence on foreign oil.

Can't make the meeting? You can send comments via email to comments@itd.idaho.gov or call Jeff Stratten from the Idaho Transportation Department at 208-334-8005. There's also an online survey at the ITB website. Unfortunately, that survey makes no mention of transit projects - only funding for roads and bridges - so be sure to make your thoughts known in the final question, where comments can be made.

Traffic ... is it endangered?!

2008-08-14T08:11:00.004-06:00

Here's a good, snarky video from the folks at U.S. PIRG on the transportation funding choices before Congress (and, for that matter, our state legislatures) next year. Given the prices on the pump, this was apparently made months ago - but that only makes it more resonant now.

Also here's an op-ed by Boisean Tom Rambow on why we owe it to our children and grandchildren to make the best choices.

Tales of a Treasure Valley commuter

2008-07-31T14:58:00.002-06:00

That's the name of a new blog by Byron Yankey, a Canyon County educator who is also running for state Representative in District 13. He's writing about other topics, too, like films, food, and fun at the Canyon County Fair. Check it out.

Bus stop signs going up

2008-07-30T18:54:00.003-06:00

I got back from vacation and found that the Valley Ride bus stop signs are going up around Boise. The Idaho Statesman reported this week that the work of marking 725 stops along 14 routes is about half done. In the same story, VRT spokesman Mark Carnopis makes the point that the signs and occasional shelters - not benches - mark bus stops.

It looks like my one regular route, the #3 Vista, has been fully marked, while the #29 Overland has not been. What are you seeing? Do the stops seem to be in logical places? Are you happy with the locations? Valley Ride has more info and a list of proposed stops on its website.

Transportation hearings skip Boise

2008-07-07T19:54:00.003-06:00

A series of six public hearings are planned this month with Gov. Butch Otter and the Idaho Transportation Board. Interestingly, they will NOT be visiting the state's largest city by far. Here are the dates and places for the meetings, all of which will run from 4 to 7 p.m.:

Caldwell, July 14, at the College of Idaho Simplot Dining Hall
Coeur d'Alene, July 16, at the Best Western Coeur d'Alene Inn
Lewiston, July 17, at the Red Lion Hotel
Idaho Falls, July 22, at the Shilo Inn Suites Hotel
Pocatello, July 23, at the Red Lion Hotel
Twin Falls, July 24, at the Red Lion Hotel Canyon Springs

If you don't want to drive to Caldwell to voice your support for alternative transportation choices including effective public transit and bike and walking paths, you can send your comments to Jeff Stratten, Idaho Transportation Department via email to comments@itd.idaho.gov or call him at (208) 334-8005.

One way or another, state officials need to understand that we cannot pave our way out of our current predicament of $4+/gallon gas and air-quality alerts.

Legislating for $4+/gallon gas

2008-07-02T11:33:00.003-06:00

The U.S. House of Representatives last week passed the "Saving Energy Through Public Transportation Act," a bill that chief sponsor Rep. James Oberstar (D-Minnesota) called “a downpayment on an increased investment in public transportation.” The House passed the bill on a lopsided vote of 322-98, with many Republicans - including U.S. Rep. Mike Simpson - joining the ayes. Rep. Bill Sali voted no. (Roll call here.) It's also good to see that at least one Idaho legislator is onboard with the need for better transit options. Here's hoping that Larry Craig and Mike Crapo will follow Simpson's lead when the Senate considers the bill later this month.

In other transit-related legislation, Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Oregon) introduced a bill this week that would reward Americans who choose to drive less, telecommute, or buy homes near mass transit. "In short, he'd like to make the country look more like Portland, where he said people on average drive 20 percent less than in other metropolitan areas and bikes, buses and light rail are prominent parts of the transportation mix," writes The Oregonian's Jeff Mapes. (More here.)

Valley Ride-union spat bodes ill for service

2008-06-25T20:31:00.003-06:00

Boise Weekly's Nathaniel Hoffman has this update on the Valley Ride-bus union dispute over a one-mile stretch of the No. 42 Overland route. The mile in question - between Maple Grove and Five Mile - serves the Social Security office and used to be part of a route handed by union drivers, but it's now subcontracted to a private, non-union company based in Nampa. A federal arbitrator sided with the union drivers, but Valley Ride seems to be balking, despite comments at two public hearings which heavily favored keeping the route open.

Update, July 7: Valley Ride has decided to delay a decision on this matter until August.

Dump the Pump (and a route?)

2008-06-19T08:28:00.002-06:00

Today is the Third Annual National Dump the Pump Day, an effort to get people out of our cars and onto our bikes, feet, or public transit. Something tells me it might get a better reception this year than in years past when gas was a mere $2.50 a gallon.

It's also "Whack a Pump Day" at the Stinker station at 23rd and Main here in Boise, where from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. today only (Thursday, June 19), people can take out their frustrations over high gas prices by wailing a baseball bat at a pump (or playing the Whack a Pump game online). Hmmm, OK, but those of us who already drive minimally just don't have that sort of rage! That Stinker Station also will offer a 10-cent discount on gas, as well as E85 fuel for $3.49 a gallon.

Meanwhile, the Idaho Statesman has a story today about how a dispute between Valley Regional Transit and the bus drivers' union may eliminate service on a stretch of the intercounty Route 42 on Overland Road near Five Mile. The larger issue seems to be whether Boise bus service - operated by unionized drivers - is suffering at the expense of beefed-up inter-county routes that Valley Ride subcontracts to a private, non-unionized company. There's a public hearing on the matter at 4 p.m. today at Boise City Hall. I don't think I can make it, so I'd welcome a firsthand report in the comments from anyone who can. Perhaps this dispute will help shine a light on the need for better funding sources for our sad little local transit system.

Ridership way up

2008-06-17T16:21:00.002-06:00

Valley Ride sent out a press release today on Dump the Pump Day, which is Thursday. More on that tomorrow. The real news gem - buried midway through the release - is this: During the first eight months (October 2007 through May 2008) of its current fiscal year, Valley Ride has seen:

• A 78 percent increase in riders on the Intercounty bus line from Nampa/Caldwell to Boise, compared to the same period last year.
• A 7.3 percent jump in Boise fixed-line ridership, compared to last year. When gas prices vaulted to more than $3.50 in April and kept climbing, Boise routes have seen an even higher jump in ridership. For example, the ParkCenter Route No. 1 has seen a 41 percent increase in ridership in April 2008, compared to April last year.
• A 4 percent bump in Nampa/Caldwell fixed-line ridership, compared to last year.

That's all great news. And there's more here:

Intercounty ridership hit an all-time high in April 2008 with 11,338 riders, compared to 5,904 in April 2007, a 92 percent hike in ridership on the most congested and heavily used transportation corridor in southwest Idaho. In the Boise area, 92,873 people rode the bus in April, compared to 77,785 in April 2007.

“It’s great to see more people using ValleyRide services across the valley, and we know that increased fuel prices has a lot to do with it,” said Kelli Fairless, executive director of Valley Regional Transit. “If people haven’t ridden the bus for a while, they should know that we have tweaked our route schedules to increase trip speed and make it more convenient to get to where they need to go.”

Bus travel will get even more convenient when Valley Ride moves to its fixed-stop system later this summer. Now if only we could eke out a few more hours of service in the evenings and more frequent service midday, there's no telling how many people might start riding the bus.

Denver gets on board with transit

2008-06-17T14:52:00.007-06:00

I have been in Denver, where they are building light rail routes all over the place, for most of the past week. I didn't take advantage of the rail bonanza, but I did ride a city bus from my hinterlands hotel to downtown Denver (for $1.75 each way, as opposed to about $20 in a taxi). Once there, I took several hops on the shuttles that run every five minutes up and down the city's 16th Street Pedestrian Mall. You can read more about the shuttle and see some of the sights along or near its route at this website.

If you plan a Denver visit, be sure to hook up with Denver History Tours. I took what was technically a "Golddust and Traildust" tour on Sunday, but since there were only four of us along for the walk, our guide Shawn - who is both a historian and urban planner - seemed only too happy to oblige my many requests for info on Denver's evolving infill, urban redevelopment, and transit scenes.

Statesman: Transit's time has come

2008-06-10T07:55:00.005-06:00

The Idaho Statesman has the first of a four-part editorial series on gas prices in Idaho. Today's installment is headlined "Gas prices boost need for better Valley transit." A snip:

ValleyRide is a skeletal system now. Most of its buses operate once an hour - twice an hour during rush hours - Monday through Friday, with service ending by 7 p.m. A few Boise routes run Saturdays with even shorter hours and fewer runs. That's it.

If you work past 6 p.m. or so, or want to take an evening bus to a Downtown Boise restaurant, you're out of luck. If you're not willing or able to wait a half hour or more until the next bus comes, you're out of luck. If you don't live near one of the area's few bus lines, you're out of luck.

Critics look at the mostly empty buses that run on ValleyRide's city rides and ask: Why should we pour even more public money into it?

Because if we build it right, riders will come. The experiences of Salt Lake City and Denver prove that. The surge in ValleyRide's intercounty service proves the local need.

Read it all here. It'll be interesting to see whether the 2009 legislature heeds this call. Gas prices were on the rise during last winter's session, but not like they are now. Will $4 a gallon, or maybe $5, be the point at which our lawmakers finally, beleatedly acknowledge reality and give us a shot at building more robust bus choices?

Bear this in mind, too, when you cast your votes in November: Which state legislature candidates have pledged to work for better transit, and which stand in the way of that goal?

Let's stimulate transit

2008-06-04T21:05:00.004-06:00

Transit played a central role in Boise Mayor Dave Bieter's State of the City speech on Tuesday. Bieter both reiterated plans for a steel-rail streetcar system in and near the downtown core and support for local option authority. The Idaho Statesman has coverage here and an editorial here.

As for Bieter's local-option hopes, we're all thinking, "Yeah, good luck with that." But then I heard this commentary on the public radio show Marketplace today, in which Robert Reich, the former Treasury Secretary, suggested that - although public transit's moment has arrived - our local transit systems are woefully inadequate; they're facing the same soaring fuel costs that have sent people scurrying onto transit; and they're also facing funding shortfalls due to dwindling sales tax revenues. So why not include transit expansion and modernization funds in the next national stimulus package?

It's a great idea, and it would mesh well with other stimulus ideas that would help create green jobs, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and decrease our dependence on fossil fuels. Transit will never pay for itself. It's time to give it the federal support it deserves.

High gas prices = more bus routes?

2008-05-30T11:42:00.004-06:00

There's a story on the Statesman website saying that they're "looking into adding more rural and express routes" to accommodate demand.

But - not in Boise. In Pocatello (population 51,466). And a run between Montpelier (population 2498) and Bear Lake.

It's reasonable to assume there would be a similar increase in demand in the Boise metro area. In fact, ridership on the Caldwell-Boise bus is up 40 percent, mostly as a result of spiraling fuel prices. But there's no funding for more routes in this area, and the "visionaries" (/sarcasm) in the Idaho Legislature - at least last year's model - were unwilling to provide more latitude.

It would be interesting to know how they fund their transit in Pocatello. I'm confident it's not 100% funded by the ridership; public transit doesn't work that way anywhere, far as I know.

Maybe $4 gas has even the people in Kuna and Eagle and Meridian and Star weighing their transportation options, and coming to a realization that there aren't many. And maybe they'll ask their elected "representatives" for some leadership in the next session. One can only hope.

Talk transit this Thursday (5/22)

2008-05-19T17:43:00.003-06:00

From the news release files:

A second open house for three related public transit projects will be held this Thursday (May 22) from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at 802 W. Idaho Street in downtown Boise .

The open house will be a final opportunity for public comments on the location of a multimodal transportation center in downtown Boise. Valley Regional Transit (VRT) and the Community Planning Association of Southwest Idaho (COMPASS) will recommend a location in early June.

The multimodal center will connect various transportation modes and services. It will be the first of a network of facilities around the Valley. Construction is expected to begin in late 2009 or early 2010.

At the open house, the public will also review preliminary considerations for two other related projects:

Downtown circulator: A transit service that will connect primary destinations in the downtown Boise area.

I-84 priority corridor: A plan for high-capacity transit service for locations along Interstate 84 within Ada and Canyon counties.

The interrelated projects are bundled together as the Treasure Valley High Capacity Transit Study. The first open house for the study was held in January 2008. Approximately 500 people attended.

VRT and COMPASS are conducting the study in partnership with Ada County Highway District, Boise Metro Chamber of Commerce, Capital City Development Corp., City of Boise , Downtown Business Association and Idaho Transportation Department.

It's May in Motion

2008-05-15T18:23:00.002-06:00

May in Motion seems pretty low key this year compared to a few years back. (Remember the free Friday bus rides once upon a time?) Still, there are signs that Treasure Valley residents are at least thinking about going mobile without their cars and trucks.

First of all, Friday, May 16, is National Bike/Walk to Work Day, the fabulous finish to Boise Bike Week. Bike Boy has been chronicling the week's events - and the joy of year-round biking to work - at his blog right here.

Also, this weekend is the first-ever Idaho Green Expo, which will feature exhibits and seminars on transportation alternatives, among many other topics.

I'll also be interested to hear from Valley Ride whether bus ridership is up in recent months. It sure seems to be.

Ready for $4-a-gallon gas?

2008-05-08T15:47:00.002-06:00

These cities are, largely due to their high density, walkable housing patterns and excellent public transit:

1. San Francisco
2. New York
3. Chicago
4. Washington, DC
5. Seattle
6. Portland, OR
7. Boston
8. Philadelphia
9. Oakland
10.Denver

The list was offered last night at a workshop on "Visualizing Density," sponsored by COMPASS. Click here for more on the presentation on why "density" doesn't need to be a dirty word.

The 'Pearl' of Boise?

2008-05-05T21:00:00.006-06:00

A "back to the future" program on Boise's former trolley system closed out the 2007-2008 Fettuccine Forum series last week, as historian Barbara Perry Bauer took a packed Rose Room crowd on a ride with the city's electric streetcar systems of yore.

After the presentation, about 20 of us took a tour retracing some of those old routes and a possible new one. Led by Boise City Council member Elaine Clegg and Boise State history prof Todd Shallat, we saw firsthand how trolleys were largely responsible for the development of Boise's coolest neighborhoods, including the North and East ends, and how a new wave of trolleys could boost redevelopment in Boise's West End.

Tentative plans call for one streetcar line to run east-west roughly from St. Luke's on the east side of downtown out to the Boise River at about 30th Street, and another to run north-south from the Capitol to Boise State, and perhaps the Boise Depot. Planners believe that areas along the route - especially in the seriously underdeveloped Main Street corridor west of downtown - could someday resemble what has happened, in part because of trolley service, in Portland's Pearl District and Seattle's South Lake Union neighborhood. Of course, funding remains cloudy given the legislature's unwillingness to allow local communities to support transit improvements.

But it's good to hold this vision. As the trolley made its way through the Linen District, it seemed very much in place amid the throngs that were moving to and from First Thursday activities at the Modern Hotel, as well as couples and families simply out for a stroll on a fine spring evening. If this is happening at 15th Street, why can't it move westward, block by block, until the whole West End is lined with walkable, bikeable, transit-friendly housing, businesses, entertainment venues, and more?

Friday, May 2 - Boise's No Pants Day!

2008-04-30T13:18:00.003-06:00

Update by Julie: Now there is coverage of No Pants Day in the Idaho Statesman and Boise Weekly. But remember: You read it here first! (Thanks, Bikeboy.)

Bulletin! Bulletin! Bulletin!

Just in case you missed it - news like this gets covered up by the nonchalant media - this Friday is Boise's 1st Annual No Pants Day!

You may be asking yourself, "So, what does no pants have to do with buses in Boise?"

Good question... I'm still kinda asking that same thing myself.

But the fact remains, according to the Boise No Pants Day Website, the occasion "was conceived during a recent forum regarding the dismal state of Mass Transit in the Treasure Valley."

So, you're being encouraged to leave your pants behind this Friday... AND ride the bus. "Usually this means wearing thick, appropriately modest boxer shorts, but bloomers, slips, briefs, and boxer-briefs all work as well."

Dress as you normally would, but without pants. And if somebody asks, tell 'em, "It's NO PANTS DAY, Silly!"

Of CHOO-CHOOS and such

2008-04-29T11:09:00.003-06:00

["Guest" post by bikeboy]

There's an interesting article on SLC's Deseret News website today.

"Trains packed as Utahns check out FrontRunner"

The TRAX commuter light rail just started running from Ogden to Salt Lake City.

For those not familiar with the geography, Ogden is north of SLC, and the distance is comparable to Middleton or Caldwell from downtown Boise. And another comparison can be made - most of the traffic runs along a corridor, in their case north-south along the Wasatch mountain range, in our case east-west along the man-made I-84 or Highway 44.

The "premium monthly fare" is $145, which includes the train service and the bus at both ends to deliver riders to their final destinations.

They expect 5900 riders to use it every day, and anticipate the number to climb to 12,900 by 2020.

The TRAX cars have power outlets and wi-fi... pretty sweet, huh? Which would you rather do, sit in traffic for an hour each morning and afternoon, or get work done (or whatever, on the web) while somebody else gets you there? Would you rather buy $145 of gas, parking, etc., or pay it for commuter service?

Is the Treasure Valley ready for something similar?

Could some of those poor pathetic slobs who inch onto I-84 at Garrity every morning, and inch home in the afternoon, be coaxed out of their cars?

The Canyon County ValleyRide buses are packed, from what I understand. What if those buses, and additional buses, could run back and forth along what is currently the railroad corridor, independent from SOV traffic?

Would a light-rail system have enough support to be feasible?

One of the perceived obstacles is the fact that the Boise Depot would serve as a hub for people fanning out to downtown and other ultimate destinations. That could be inconvenient and inefficient, since it would force the vast majority of commuters to take a bus ride after the train ride.

What if I were to point out an alternative, that would put the hub just a couple blocks from downtown?

The old-timers will remember when a railroad spur used to go through downtown, a block or two south of Main Street. From there it went eastward, along the north side of the Boise River. Back in the day, it used to serve the lumber mills and other business out that way.

Most of that corridor is still there.

Granted, it's currently being used as bicycle/pedestrian path. And those people would have to be accommodated if any major change were undertaken.

If you want a picture of what I'm talking about... and if you have GoogleEarth... click on this link. It will show you EXACTLY what I'm talking about.

(The spur leaves the main line near Franklin and Hartman. From there it goes diagonally northeast, crossing Curtis near West Jr. High, Emerald, Orchard near the Syringa Bank, and running parallel to Garden Street and the "Connector.")

I'm not advocating for this. I have no idea if there would be popular support; it wouldn't be much use to me. I would oppose any threat to the bike path - I ride my bicycle up that "Garden Street" stretch five days a week. My only intention is to get people thinking about alternatives to their $3.50 gas in their pollution-spewing single-occupant vehicles.

A day in transit

2008-04-26T11:41:00.006-06:00

I spent Friday in transit from Hartford, Connecticut - where I'd been on business all week - home to Boise. The smoothest part of my trip was the 11-mile ride from downtown to Bradley Airport, which cost $1.25 on the local public transit system's Bradley Flyer.

Out at BDL, I learned that my 11 a.m. United flight had been delayed an hour-and-a-half. After we boarded at 12:30, the plane couldn't move because Air Force One was in the 'hood and Bush apparently had to get off the airfield for his Connecticut visit before any planes could take off.

Once we got to go-ahead to move, we taxied a long time, then finally came to a halt right next to the West Virginia Air Guard cargo plane that had apparently hauled Bush's limo and what have you to New England. The pilot powered down the engines. It turned out that thunderstorms in the Midwest had forced a ground stop of inbound aircraft to Chicago, so we needed to wait some more. The United crew opened the doors to let some air in - and to let people gawk at the giant gray plane nearby. A half-hour or so later, we were able to taxi and take off.

We finally arrived at ORD about 3 p.m., about 15 minutes after my flight to Denver was supposed to leave. My voice mail had a message that I'd been re-booked onto a later, direct flight to Boise. But on the concourse at O'Hare, I realized the flight to Denver had been delayed, too, and I boarded it with a few minutes to spare - then sat for more than an hour while that flight was delayed taking off. But it was still a good decision: Once we landed in Denver, I had another voice mail message alerting me that the later Chicago-Boise flight had been canceled and I'd been re-booked onto a flight the next morning. (No word on whether they were offering a hotel voucher as well.) Little did United know I'd already made it to Denver, with just minutes left to spare to make the plane to Boise. With no time between flights, I'd had exactly one packet of pretzels, one can of ginger ale, and no bathroom breaks in the 10 hours since boarding the plane in Hartford.

The last flight to Boise went off without a hitch, and somehow - despite the day's myriad shenanigans - we landed at BOI right on time. As the jet made its long, low descent over the still-snowclad Central Idaho Rockies then the greening Foothills to the east, I felt grateful to be home.

Depot Vision meeting Wednesday

2008-04-20T20:31:00.004-06:00

Add this to the list of upcoming events of interest to transit fans:

On Wednesday (April 23), the City of Boise will hold a Depot Vision meeting to discuss future and potential uses of Boise's historic train depot. The meeting is set from 4 to 6 p.m. right at the Depot.

I live in the Depot Bench Neighborhood (albeit a mile from the old station, and far from the nearby neighbors who aren't thrilled by the idea of a light rail station in their back yard). Here's an email I just sent to my neighborhood association president:

I know that many of the neighbors near the Depot do not want it to become a transit stop, mainly because of parking and traffic concerns. I understand those concerns, but I continue to wonder whether - if we can ever manage to get light rail in the Treasure Valley - the Depot could still fill its historic mission by planners diverting parking
elsewhere.

For example, perhaps a park-and-ride lot and/or garage could be built nearby on Vista, Rose Hill, or Federal Way, within easy walking distance of the Depot but away from the residential area. Most people could walk from there to the station, but a shuttle bus or trolley could help those who can't. Similarly, a designated shuttle bus or trolley could carry people from downtown and BSU to the Depot (though Valley Ride's Vista
route is already doing this; a trolley right to the Depot's door would
probably prove more attractive to reluctant transit riders).

Of course, there are many people already living within an easy walk or bike ride to the depot, and I continue to believe that our neighborhood is a natural for the sort of transit-oriented development that's been such a boon for cities like Portland and Dallas.

What do you think? Make your voice known this Wednesday.

P.S. Happy Earth Day!

Upcoming events include trolley tour

2008-04-16T10:28:00.007-06:00

Here are a few upcoming events for people who'd like to see fewer cars and trucks (and more bikes, buses, and trolleys) on Treasure Valley roads:

On Wednesday, April 23, Donovan Rypkema of Place Economics in Washington, D.C., will speak about property rights in terms of American history, political philosophy, real estate economics, and fundamental fairness, including transportation and land use planning. The talk, titled "Property Rights and Public Values," is set for 6 p.m. in the Cinnabar Room at the Doubletree Riverside Hotel. RSVP by calling 855-2558, ext. 222.

On Friday, April 25, is the annual Bike Congress at Boise State University, featuring a look at "Roadways to Bikeways," the bicycle master plan from Ada County Highway District. Other presentations will include the Regional Long-Range Transportation Plan 2030 and the Downtown Boise Mobility Study; transportation features of the Boise Climate Protection Program; and a special visit by endurance athlete Rebecca Rusch, current world champion of 24-hour mountain bike racing. There's more info here.

The next day, April 26, the Boise Women's Bike Fitness Festival is set at Ann Morrison Park. Events will include a 21-mile round-trip group ride from Ann Morrison to the Idaho Velodrome and Cycling Park and a 6.5-mile ride that takes cyclists to Camel's Back Park. Click here for the details.

On Thursday, May 1, Barbara Perry Bauer will talk about the historic Interurban Streetcar system in the Treasure Valley. Doors open at 5:30 for this final 2007-2008 Fettuccine Forum event (with free appetizers; fettuccine is available for $5). Afterward (circa 7 p.m.), a trolley-bus tour will introduce riders to the current plan to rebuild the trolley system as a smart-growth development tool. The tour will include a discussion of trolleys past, present and future and will approximate one of the proposed future streetcar lines. Tickets for the tour are limited; call 333-8066 to see if any remain.

Beat the airport parking squeeze

2008-04-07T11:02:00.004-06:00

There's a story in the Idaho Statesman today about the increasing pressure on parking and other facilities at the Boise Airport, where the passenger count has risen from 2.8 million a year in 2004 to 3.3 million now, and where we'll lose some federal support once we pass the 5-million mark. Here are three suggestions to help the airport maximize its current lot space and for us all to start thinking like the urban creatures that we are. (These are for Boiseans; out-of-towners can always ask to park at a friend's house in Boise, then follow these tips.)

1) Cheapest of all: Have a family member or a friend drop you off and/or pick you up.

2) Next cheapest (and heavily underutilized): Take Valley Ride. The #1 Park Center runs from downtown to the airport through southeast Boise from 5:15 a.m. to 6:15 p.m. The #3 Vista runs between downtown and the airport through the Central Bench from 6:15 a.m. to 6:15 p.m. Lots of Boiseans live near - or can transfer to - one route or another. True, these hours won't accommodate all flights, but you can always use option 1 or 3 for your return trip if your plane gets in late. Best of all, it's a mere $1 fare on either of these routes, $2 if you need to transfer from another city bus line.

It's easy to maneuver a carry-on bag and/or backpack onto the bus, and what's a few blocks' walk with a roller bag to the bus stop when our weather is fine? And yeah, you may need to arrive early given our once-an-hour mid-day timetables on most routes, but with free wireless at BOI, you can get stuff done once you're there. Get more Valley Ride schedule info here.

3) Take a taxi. If you live 3 miles from the airport, this will run you about $22, including tip. If you're 5 miles out, it'd be about $32. If you're 10 miles away up in northwest Boise, you're getting up in the $50 range. Still, compare that to whatever you plan to spend on parking, with current airport garage rates at $9.75 a day ($7 for the shuttle lot; $7.75 for the long-term surface lot). If you're going away for more than two or three days, you may save money with a cab. You don't need to take the first cab in line at the airport, either; ask your favorite cab company about their "will-call" policy at the airport and airport discounts. IF you don't have a favorite cab company, try Boise City Taxi (my pick) or Orange Cab.

So ... now what?

2008-04-02T20:26:00.004-06:00

I've been holding my breath for today. The 2008 Idaho Legislature has left town. On one hand, lawmakers refused to give local option authority to Idaho communities. On the other hand, the Senate managed to kill the poison pill House Joint Resolution 4, which would have made it almost impossible to fund an effective regional transit system in the next few years.

So now what do we do? Many observers say that nothing will change next year, because the Republican House Leadership will still be in power, as will Gov. Butch Otter. Some have suggested that a ballot initiative may be one way to get local-option authority, but initiatives are expensive.

Simply put, if we are going to have change, it must start at the ballot box. There are dozens of reasons to defeat this man in November; transit may be at the top of the list. Although no Republican had the guts to take him on, three Democrats (Gilda Bothwell, Michelle Waddell, and Ed Wardwell want to try. Here's hoping the best of them wins in May, and that transit advocates will flock to the race to help boost that candidate's chances in the fall. (An aside: Who can tell me anything about these three candidates? Do they have transit cred?) Other Treasure Valley candidates have the opportunity to make this issue their own as well. The need - for better leadership and better transit - is especially acute in western Ada and Canyon counties.

A few months ago, no one was talking about writing local-option authority into the constitution. A statewide coalition had put forth a bill that was tough but fair. No matter what the composition of the legislature next year, let's hope lawmakers return to the Moving Idaho Forward concept and get this job done in 2009.

Something to smile about

2008-04-01T19:02:00.011-06:00

This has been a pretty dismal couple of weeks for area public transportation advocates, as it has become obvious that the State has no intention of providing any funding for their capital city's public transportation system, OR giving citizens the opportunity to vote on taxing themselves.

"By golly, we don't need a bus system in [insert one: Declo, Cambridge, Dubois, Bonner's Ferry, Kamiah], so you shouldn't need one either!!!"

Maybe there will be more outcry in a year, when gas is $4.25 instead of $3.25, we've had another 100-or-so yellow-alert air quality days, and the roads - which they also failed to fund - are more busted up than they are now.

I got these cool photos via email. Obviously taken in places where public transportation is more ingrained as a part of the culture. I like 'em! I hope you do, too.

HJR4 barely passes Senate committee

2008-03-26T13:16:00.005-06:00

Calling it a "poison pill" that would harm regional efforts to fund better public transit, state Sen. Curtis McKenzie voted against HJR4 in today's Senate State Affairs vote. Kudos to the Nampa Republican for standing up for his district. The measure did pass the committee 5-4, but it faces an uncertain future before the full Senate.

Another Republican had some truth serum in his OJ this morning too, even though he voted the wrong way. From the Idaho Statesman:

Sen. Denton Darrington, R-Declo, supported the measure but said he thought a provision in the proposal to limit local option measures to November elections is aimed at assuring no such measure passes.

"That's the reason behind it, I have no doubt," he said. (More here.)

HJR4 now goes to the full Senate, the last chance to stop it before it goes on the November ballot (where powerful GOP and big-business interests would ensure its passage with a simple majority vote). Now's the time to call or email your senator to urge a NO vote. Calls and emails to senators representing west Ada County or Canyon County are especially important.

Transit tidbits: HJR4 in limbo?

2008-03-25T19:12:00.003-06:00

Here's a quick roundup of some recent transit-related news:

The Idaho Statesman had an excellent editorial in Sunday's paper on the perils of amending the constitution for local-option votes, as HJR4 would do. "Lawmakers say they are trying to break the deadlock over local taxing authority, and give Idaho voters a chance to settle the issue in November. Don't buy it. This doesn't really help local governments and local voters pay for their needs. To make matters worse, lawmakers have cynically co-opted the state Constitution in the name of political expediency." Read it all here.

Writing at the Idaho Conservation League's "Wild Idaho" blog, Sara Cohn added the only argument that the Statesman editorial strangely failed to mention. "One obvious problem with this amendment is that it doesn’t provide an avenue by which regional areas can address transportation problems. Traffic congestion and air pollution do not stop at city or county limits," she wrote.

Meanwhile, over at Eye on Boise, there were some hopeful signs today that the Senate may not be quite so gung-ho to pass what amounts to a poison-pill amendment for effective regional transit solutions.

I missed it while traveling last week, but state Rep. Scott Bedke penned a Statesman op-ed that telegraphed why he, Mike Moyle, Butch Otter, and others are so intent on sealing local option into the constitution: Ada-Canyon bashing. "It is extremely disappointing that a few local Treasure Valley interests have determined that meeting their particular transit needs are more important than addressing the broader needs of communities in 42 other counties throughout Idaho," he wrote. That's a laugh, since the legislature flat out refused to consider the Moving Idaho Forward proposal backed by a coalition from all over Idaho.

Finally, tomorrow night (Wednesday, March 26), Todd Litman of Victoria, B.C., will give a presentation called "Work Smarter, Not Harder, to Improve Transportation." It's set for 6 to 7:30 p.m.. in the North Star Room of the Doubletree Hotel-Riverside, 2900 Chinden Blvd. If you can, call ahead to 855-2558 (ext. 222) and let 'em know you are coming.

House passes local option amendment

2008-03-21T14:01:00.004-06:00

On a 51-19 vote, the Idaho House today passed HJR4, the constitutional amendment designed to make it much harder for Idahoans to solve transit issues on a regional basis. The Senate will vote next week. It needs two-thirds to pass, then it would go on to need just a simple majority from November voters to become a very, very bad law.

Here's hoping the Senate can kill the bill before it goes that far. Given even a slight shift in the legislature next year, a more reasonable and regionally oriented local option bill could prevail next winter.

Bike Nazi --> Bus Nazi

2008-03-20T11:07:00.003-06:00

I've been grounded.

Due to a temporary medical condition, my doctor has ordered me off the bicycle for a period of 4 to 6 weeks. (Any longer, and I would've gotten a second opinion from Dr. Kervorkian!) I won't go into graphic detail... let's just say it involves the part of me that comes in contact with the bike saddle. (Ouch!)

So, for the first time in several years, I'm letting ValleyRide attend to my transportation needs.

I bought a 31-day "employee pass" - it cost me $32.

The "regular" pass costs $36, so I saved 4 bucks. Big wup. (I'll probably save a few bucks over paying $1-per-ride. Hopefully I won't have to decide how to continue, a month from now.)

Let me digress. My place of employment is surrounded by parking lots. If an employee chooses to drive to work alone every day, the company will subsidize $40 of the $60/month parking lot expense. But they'll only offer a $4 incentive to ride the bus for that same month. What's wrong with this picture? IMO, they should gladly pay the entire bus pass fee, for anybody who's willing to use it, and get a car off the road!

I ride the #4 Roosevelt bus. I walk .3 miles from my house to the bus stop. The bus comes by at 7:50. By 8, or shortly thereafter, I'm getting off in downtown Boise, for a 2-block walk to the office.

In the evening, I catch the bus at 5:15, and am walking the .3 miles home by 5:30. (Yesterday afternoon, as I rode in that dry, warm bus, looking out at a gloomy, rainy day, I've got to admit it was nice to be on the bus, instead of on my bike!)

Yep - the bus is pretty sweet. It enables me to retain my contempt for all those single-occupant-vehicle drivers out there. And it will let me preserve my track record - the last time I drove a car to work was September 1997. That will not change. (Even if my 2.5 year perfect bicycling record has been spoiled.)

But I can't help but wonder... why are 30-plus of the 36 seats on the bus empty? On my three rides so far, there have been 2-4 passengers. That, my friends, is a problem! And unfortunately, it's also a very valid argument for opponents of public transportation.

Could they improve ridership with better routes? (I can't imagine a better timetable - you'd think a bus arriving downtown at 8am should be packed!)

Or... are people so lazy and/or inflexible that they won't look at alternatives until gas is $4/gallon? Or $5, or $6? (Time will tell. You know it's just a matter of time. If people will pay $3, they'll likely pay $4.)

One criticism... as in many places, Boise's city buses have big windows, that should afford good views in every direction. But so far, the buses I've ridden have windows that are so "scummed up" that they don't afford much of a view. I don't know if it's dirt on the outside, or gunk on the inside, or scratches, or tint-film, or what. But how much more pleasant the ride would be, if somebody could Windex those windows from time to time!

Drive on!

Rev & Tax strikes again

2008-03-14T10:56:00.002-06:00

Transit and air quality are regional issues, but tell that to the House Rev & Tax Committee. Repeating yesterday's party-line vote, the panel has sent the ill-advised local option constitutional amendment to the full House, where it will require a two-thirds majority to pass.

It's time to call your representatives and senator and urge them to vote NO on the amendment, which will do nothing but create more delays and replace regional cooperation with every-county-for-itself dramedys of error. The Moving Idaho Forward plan is still on the table, and it deserves a hearing.

It's up to you, Canyon County

2008-03-13T16:24:00.003-06:00

State Rep. Mike Moyle introduced his constitutional amendment on local taxation authority to the House Rev & Tax Committee today, and it sailed through the print hearing on a party-line vote, with all 13 Republicans for it and all five Democrats opposed.

Chairman Dennis Lake actually asked whether they needed to have a public hearing on the matter before putting it to a final vote.

Well, they do and they will. It's at 8:30 a.m. tomorrow, Friday, March 14 in room 240 of the temporary Capitol in the old Ada County Courthouse.

If you live in Canyon County and want flexible, regional control over our transit future, please plan to be there. The Moyle amendment - if it passes the House and Senate by two-thirds and receives voter approval in November - would throttle local communities' ability to work together to pass local option legislation. For more background, see coverage of this week's amendment action at Eye on Boise, the Idaho Statesman, Paleomedia, and state Rep. Nicole LeFavour's Notes From the Floor.

Crunch time against the amendment

2008-03-12T20:50:00.004-06:00

State Rep. Mike Moyle is making good on his threat to introduce a constitutional amendment to allow the legislature to authorize counties or cities to levy a sales and use tax. His bill goes before the House Rev & Tax Committee at 8:30 a.m. Thursday in Room 240 of the temporary capitol (former Ada County Courthouse).

So now's the time. If you live outside Boise - and especially if you live in the western Treasure Valley - contact your legislators (especially Reps. Gary Collins and Robert Schaefer of Nampa) to ask them to vote no on the local option constitutional amendment. Because the bill may get through committee, it's also important for everyone INCLUDING Boiseans to contact our own legislators and ask them to vote NO if the bill moves forward. Tell legislators you want them to support the Moving Idaho Forward bill instead.

Moving Idaho Forward is a better deal for Idaho. This legislation, crafted by a bipartisan coalition of statewide leaders, would allow local communities - urban and rural - the flexibility to decide whether to raise up to a penny of sales tax for better roads and/or public transit.

Like the constitutional amendment, it would require a two-thirds majority of voters to approve a local option tax. But unlike the amendment, it would allow more flexibility since neighboring counties could work together on road and transit funding and because a local option vote could be held in May or November, not just November.

Moyle's bill fails to recognize that the Treasure Valley already has a regional transit system, with its most popular routes crossing the county line. That's a big reason why the Valley Regional Transit board voted yesterday to oppose the amendment.

Think about it: If the amendment passes, November 2009 is the earliest we could have a local-option vote - and if it failed, we'd have to wait another full year before trying again. Urge your legislators to vote no on the amendment and pass Moving Idaho Forward instead. With our roads increasingly unsafe and our air quality nearing federal noncompliance, we can't afford to wait.

Rush hour rally Tuesday in Nampa

2008-03-10T19:27:00.004-06:00

Update: Here's coverage of the rally from the Idaho Press-Tribune.

The Idaho State Legislature is bending over backward to find ways to delay action on better public transit. (Their latest stalling tactic is trying to amend the Idaho Constitution to allow local option votes.)

Are you fed up? Then join us Tuesday afternoon (March 11) from 4:30 to 6 p.m. as we hold a Rush Hour Rally near the I-84 Garrity/Idaho Center exit in Nampa.

We'll gather on the sidewalks along Garrity Boulvevard near the new Nampa Gateway Center, where traffic is always backed up at rush hour. Bring signs that read something like:

No More Delay: We Need Solutions
End the Gridlock - Move Idaho Forward
Constitutional Amendment = More Delay
Rep. Schaefer: Act NOW for public transit
Rep. Collins: Act NOW for public transit
Smog & Delay Make Us Gag!

Nampa residents: Whether or not you can make this rally, please call or e-mail Reps. Gary Collins and Robert Schaefer (who sit on the House Rev & Tax Committee) to tell them that you OPPOSE the idea of changing Idaho's constitution. It only will mean more delays and more gridlock. Urge them to move Idaho forward. Caldwell residents can deliver the same message to Sen. John McGee, who chairs the Senate Transportation Committee.

Writing local option into the constitution

2008-03-07T07:23:00.007-07:00

Boise-area leaders dislike the idea, but it looks like the House majority wants to amend the constitution to allow local-option funding for transit - and they now have Gov. Butch Otter's backing.

An amendment, which may come up within days, would require two-thirds approval in the House and the Senate and then passage by a simple majority of voters.

But citizens would have to go back to the polls - in November only - to vote again for local option, and in a multicounty area like the Treasure Valley, it would require two-thirds approval in each county. From the Idaho Statesman:

Requiring a county-by-county vote in regional elections could make passage too difficult, Boise Mayor Dave Bieter said.

"Transit systems are almost always regional systems, and you ought to take it on regionally," he said.

The latest regional vote in the Treasure Valley was last May, when voters in Ada and Canyon counties agreed to tax themselves to support a planned community college. Seventy-one percent of Ada County voters approved the tax, but only 62 percent of Canyon County voters did. Voter turnout was light.

Many Treasure Valley lawmakers would prefer to put local-option authority in statute and not require two-thirds majorities in each county. A statute would require only the vote of a simple majority of legislators.

Read the whole story here.

Bus stops! What a concept!

2008-03-05T00:06:00.004-07:00

One factor that's long stifled Treasure Valley transit use is the lack of bus stops. Oh, there are a few shelters here and there - but basically, Valley Regional Transit has been operating on a flag stop system by which you just hail the bus at any corner. It's pretty small time and definitely confusing to would-be riders.

But the flag-stop system is going away as of next Monday in Canyon County. Valley Regional Transit previewed the system last week in Caldwell. The Canyon County routes remain the same, but riders will now be asked to catch the bus at one of 136 bus stops: 81 in Nampa and 55 in Caldwell. The stops all have signs. Most have benches and some will have shelters as well.

According to a press release from Valley Regional Transit, the new bus stop locations were chosen according to safety, spacing between stops, locations where most people wanted to board the bus, and reducing impacts on traffic flow. “It took us months to examine all the details and factors to select the new bus stop locations,” executive director Kelli Fairless said. “Our staff put a lot of thought into it.”

At an event marking the transition, officials including Nampa Mayor Tom Dale, Caldwell Mayor Garrett Nancolas, and state Sen. John McGee (R-Caldwell) urged the Idaho Legislature to give local government authority to raise money for improved public transit systems through a local option sales tax. According to the VRT release, "Draft legislation in the Idaho Legislature has not made much progress in recent weeks, despite strong support among the business community, Canyon County elected officials, and pro-transit groups." Dale urged the legislature to give communities local control to see if voters would OK a small tax for improved transit service.

Valley Regional Transit says it expects to bring fixed bus stops to Ada County by midsummer. But since they've been talking about it for more than a year now, we'll just wait and see.

Statesman: Initiative may be best route to transit

2008-03-02T21:46:00.002-07:00

The Idaho Statesman editorialized today that because the balky Idaho Legislature doesn't want to address local option taxing authority, citizens may need to take on the job ourselves.

Resistant and obstinate pretty much sums up the Legislature's sorry track record on local-option taxes. If the Legislature doesn't pass local-option legislation in the remaining weeks of the 2008 session, it is time for supporters to take their case to the people. They have a good case to make.

A voter-approved local sales tax can help communities address their looming transportation needs, in their own way. A Treasure Valley approach - one that combines roadwork with enhanced bus service and securing rights-of-way for commuter rail - might not work elsewhere. That's the inherent advantage of local-option taxes. This attribute seems lost on legislators who espouse support for local control, but balk at allowing local taxing authority

The paper doesn't like the idea of amending the state Constitution to allow local option, as some Republicans are pushing.

An amendment is a tough proposition, requiring two-thirds support both in the House and the Senate and voter approval in November.

An amendment might placate conservatives who would prefer to lock local-option language into the Constitution, but an amendment is clearly unnecessary in a state that already allows local taxing authority in limited circumstances.

If an amendment proves too narrow or unworkable, it would be cumbersome or impossible to repair.

But the newspaper admitted that there are problems with the initiative approach, too. Click here to read the whole editorial.

A new blueprint for Boise

2008-02-25T21:03:00.004-07:00

The City of Boise is getting ready to update its 1997 comprehensive plan, a document that will include how to integrate better transit (and transit-oriented development)into the city's future. City officials want our opinion, and we'll be delivering it via cool keypad technology at two public meetings this week. From a city news release:

Boise residents are encouraged to help shape the City's future by attending one of two public meetings. The meetings will be Wednesday, February 27, at Ameritel Inn, 7499 W. Overland Rd., and Thursday, February 28, at the Holiday Inn, 3300 Vista Ave. Both meetings will be from 7 to 9 p.m. Residents are welcome to attend which ever meeting is most convenient."
Blueprint Boise is the City's future planning tool that will accommodate forecasted growth in a wise and sensible manner," said Tricia Nilsson, Comprehensive Planning Manager. "Obviously, citizen input is the key to successful planning. That's why its important residents attend one of our public meetings."

Participants will be able to view displays of future concepts and discuss planning options with City planners, and give their views on the types of development they prefer for Boise and their neighborhoods, as well as changes they'd like to see over the next 10-20 years.

"Participants will give input via an electronic polling process,"Nilsson said. "This information will be tabulated and will form the foundation that our planning process will be built. So, I can't stress enough how important public participation will be."

Transit update: no update

2008-02-20T23:03:00.005-07:00

Sorry for the lack of posts lately! I wish I could report that the Idaho Legislature is getting ready to consider a bill offering communities the chance to fund local transit projects. But six weeks into the session, the House Rev & Tax Committee has yet to take up the issue.

Addressing a group of Ada County Democrats this week, state Rep. Nicole LeFavour said that Republican leadership continues to argue that the Idaho Constituion must be amended to allow local option taxation authority - a process that would require a two-thirds vote from the House and Senate to get on the ballot. So far, they've successfully used this stalling tactic to keep the local option issue off the legislature's radar - so it's up to citizens to help press the issue by contacting our legislators and letting them know we support the ability of people to vote on whether or not to fund local projects including transit and roads.

Of course, it's especially important for people who live outside of Boise to make this case, particularly to members of the House Revenue & Taxation Committee. So if you live in any of the Rev & Tax members' districts noted below, call or email them and encourage them to consider local option legislation before this session ends. Make it clear that you believe we do NOT need to amend the Idaho Constitution to grant communities this authority.

If you live in Boise, please do NOT write the legislators - but do all you can to help find friends and family members elsewhere in the state who will.

District 2

Representative Dick Harwood
dharwood@house.idaho.gov
81527 Hwy. 3 S., St. Maries, 83861
Home (208) 245-4446

District 3

Representative Jim Clark
jclark@house.idaho.gov
8798 N. Clarkview Pl., Hayden Lake, 83835
Home (208) 772-5992 Bus (208) 772-5992 FAX (208) 772-7718

Representative Phil Hart
phart@house.idaho.gov
4430 E. Sarah Loop, Athol, 83801
Home (208) 683-0456 Bus (208) 772-2522

District 8

Representative Ken A. Roberts
kroberts@house.idaho.gov
12765 Hwy 55, Donnelly, 83615
Home (208)325-8351 Bus (208) 325-8351 FAX (208)325-8351

District 12

Representative Gary E. Collins
gcollins@house.idaho.gov
2019 E. Massachusetts, Nampa, 83686
Home (208) 466-5460 Bus (208) 466-4787

Representative Robert E. Schaefer
rschaefe@house.idaho.gov
P.O. Box 55, Nampa, 83653
Home (208) 466-3636 Bus (208) 466-3636

District 14

Representative Mike Moyle
mmoyle@house.idaho.gov
480 N. Plummer Rd., Star, 83669
Home (208) 286-7842 Bus (208) 286-7842

District 27

Representative Scott Bedke
sbedke@house.idaho.gov
P.O. Box 89, Oakley, 83346
Home (208) 862-3619 FAX (208) 862-3688

District 34

Representative Dell Raybould
drayboul@house.idaho.gov
3215 N. 2000 W., Rexburg, 83440
Home (208) 356-6837 Bus (208) 356-6837

District 35

Representative JoAn Wood
jawood@house.idaho.gov
3778 E. 500 N., Rigby, 83442
Home (208) 745-7846 FAX (208) 745-8420

Representative Lenore Barrett
lbarrett@house.idaho.gov
(208) 879-2797

Now here's dedication ...

2008-01-30T06:58:00.001-07:00

With Barack Obama coming to Boise this Saturday (hopefully on a bus line venue!), campaign supporter Mike Armand explains to KTVB how he takes THREE buses to get to Obama's headquarters on the Bench. Watch the video.

The Ada County Democratic Caucuses are next Tuesday, February 5, at Qwest Arena. Doors open at 5 p.m., and the caucus starts at 7. Outstanding support for better public transit is one of many reasons I will be standing up for Obama at the caucus.

Update: Obama's Stand for Change Rally is Saturday morning (February 2) at the Taco Bell Arena at BSU. Doors open at 7 a.m., way before the Saturday buses start running. So plan to carpool!

Car-free living in sprawl valley?

2008-01-24T21:14:00.000-07:00

Two items in yesterday's Idaho Statesman caught my eye. One was a blurb for the Idaho Earth Institute's program this Friday night on car-free living. The event - slated at Wright Congregational Church, 4821 W Franklin Road - starts with a potluck at 6:30 followed by a 7 p.m. presentation based on the books Divorce Your Car by Katie Alvord and How to Live Well Without Owning a Car by Chris Ballish.

I'll be there. I plan to drive my car. My friend Jonna Moore tells me that several people will be riding their bikes - in the dark, in the snow - to attend, and I say good on 'em, but that's not an option for most of us mere mortals.

The problem with the concept of car-free living in Boise was ably pointed out in an op-ed - also in yesterday's paper - by Martin Johncox. He wrote:

While I support local-option taxation and transit, there's been little discussion if cities have been preparing their built environment to support transit. ... Transit lacks point-to-point flexibility. To make up for that, people must bridge, on foot or bike, the distance between the transit stop and their destination. To get people to do this, you must build a human-scaled environment, where buildings come right to the sidewalk; things are stacked on top of each other to conserve distance; and homes, offices, shopping centers, schools and other destinations are directly connected with sidewalks. ...

But we've built just the opposite in the past 50 years. Giant parking lots, absent of sidewalks, encourage people to drive from one parking lot to the next; subdivisions are fenced from each other and neighboring shopping centers; and very long blocks and cul-de-sacs lengthen pedestrian trips. ...

To be fair, it's been less than 15 years since Boise and other cities awoke to the need to build for transit. ... Yet in those past 15 years there's been precious little progress toward enforcing transit-friendly development.

He's right, of course. People who live in or near downtown Boise can probably make do without cars, but there's almost nowhere else in the valley where that's the case. That's especially true if you have children active in sports or music, or if you like to go out at night, or if you want to go to church on Sunday, or if you simply don't feel safe bicycling or walking in the winter or after dark (or both).

We can do better. We can build developments - not just in downtown but in nearby neighborhoods, as well as in the center of other Treasure Valley towns - that are close to schools, stores, workplaces, and entertainment venues. We can extend bus hours into the evenings and offer Sunday service so people could get around at night, as well as ride the bus seven days a week. If these changes happen, people will use transit more, and there will eventually be an increased appetite for housing close to transit.

For now, let's not worry so much about going car-free as much as reducing our dependency on vehicles. I've drastically cut my driving and I'd someday love to live car-free, but I don't see it happening in Boise: not while I have a daughter in school, not while the buses won't run when and where I need them to run.

Mega transit thread at the Guardian

2008-01-24T15:31:00.000-07:00

As Dave noted in the comments for a previous post, there was a lively conversation on transit topics at his Boise Guardian blog last week. Check it out when you have some time to read the 50+ comments.

'The quarter cent was huge'

2008-01-24T13:48:00.000-07:00

Last week, I wrote, quoting a Dan Popkey column:

that Rep. Bob Schaefer "might support a tax that's capped at 0.25 percent." (That's awfully low, if the money would be used to fund both highway projects and transit. If people want to vote for half a cent, why can't we?)

Well, I'm just back from the City Club of Boise transit forum, where Lane Beattie of the Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce explained how the SLC business community rallied folks to pass - by a two-thirds majority, "in arguably the West's most conservative state" - a proposal that raised taxes by a quarter-cent to help fund improved roads and a transit system that has far surpassed ridership expectations. "The quarter cent was huge," Beattie said, in giving the Utah Transit Authority a sustainable funding source and bonding ability for improvements and maintenance. It's worth noting here that Beattie is a conservative Republican who slashed taxes as president of the Utah Senate.

Before the vote even took place, transit backers had to convince a governor who said he'd never allow a special session on transit funding to do exactly that. Beattie noted that, in many cases, proponents had to sit down one-on-one with tax-averse lawmakers to make the case that good transit is good for business, and that the cost of waiting would be more than the state could bear. For rural lawmakers, Salt Lake transit supporters urged a big-picture, statewide view, noting that "if you get gridlock in Davis County, you stop economic development in Moab." And yes, they said candidly: "Light rail doesn't pay for itself. That's true, but neither do highways."

Granted, Salt Lakers have some things going for them that we don't, namely a metro population nearly four times our size and development patterns that - so far - have been very linear along the Wasatch Front. Also, a quarter-cent tax increase no doubt buys a lot more in a region that attracts big tourism, including Japanese visitors who spend as much as $600 a day to ski and ride "the greatest snow on Earth."

"I can't tell you whether (transit) is needed in your community," Beattie said. But if it is, he added, he urged the business community to take the lead in making the case that gridlock and poor air quality are bad for businesss - and that, as the Utah ad campaign noted, when it comes to committing to adequate transit funding, "the longer we wait ... the longer we wait."

Transit is focus at City Club

2008-01-21T20:30:00.000-07:00

The City Club of Boise will focus on public transit at its meeting this Thursday (January 24). Kelli Fairless of Valley Regional Transit and Lane Beattie of the Salt Lake City Chamber of Commerce will keynote a panel titled "Public Transit: First Horses, Then Cars - What Now?" Here's a description from the City Club website:

City planners from Portland to Denver favor public transportation for its economic and air-quality benefits, but they hit roadblocks convincing Westerners to leave their cars. What will it take for Idahoans to embrace buses and trains? Will politicians ever raise taxes to pay for them? Salt Lake City overcame similar obstacles and now boasts one of the nation’s best public transit systems. Learn how it happened from developer Lane Beattie, initially a skeptic and now a leading advocate. Then hear an update on Treasure Valley transit by Kelli Fairless.

The session is set from 11:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. at The Grove Hotel, or you can catch it on BSU Radio after the fact. The cost to attend in person is $14 for members, $19 for non-members, or $5 without lunch. Reserve a seat through the City Club website.

Update: I just read about another public forum that will include transit among its topics. "Emerging Issues in a Growing Idaho" is set for 1:30 to 5 p.m. on Wednesday, January 30, in the Hoff Building's Crystal Ballroom. Cost is $10 for sponsors or $20 for non-sponsors. For more info or to reserve a seat, email ief@givenspursely.com.

Transit open house Jan. 17

2008-01-14T20:13:00.001-07:00

Bikeboy already wrote about this last week, but don't miss the open house set for 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. this Thursday (January 17) to have a look at plans for a multi-modal center in downtown Boise. The project would include a downtown circulator and regional high-capacity transit for the Treasure Valley.

In other transit news, Idaho Statesman columnist Dan Popkey is bullish on the chances of local option authority legislation passing this year. Unfortunately, Rep. Mike Moyle wants to delay action for another year by requiring a constitutional amendment, and Rep. Bob Schaefer "might support a tax that's capped at 0.25 percent." (That's awfully low, if the money would be used to fund both highway projects and transit. If people want to vote for half a cent, why can't we?)

Meanwhile, did anyone else notice that Nampa Mayor Tom Dale failed to mention transit in his op-ed in Sunday's paper? At least Sen. David Langhorst made a solid case for local option. Not only that, several recent letter writers have bemoaned the lack of local bus service and sung the praises of excellent transit available in other cities.

Massive multi-modal transit center for Boise?

2008-01-11T10:29:00.001-07:00

[Guest post by bikeboy]

There was an interesting story on KTVB's news yesterday - "Public transit plan now ready for public review." (Click here to read the online version.)

I expected it to be reporting progress in improving transportation modes - a new bus grid proposal, or more service between Boise and the outlying areas.

But no!

It appears to be a big downtown hub facility that is envisioned by the Capital City Development Corporation.

Big - and estimated to cost $78 million.

Now, I'm just an interested outside observer, and no expert. (I'm probably interested enough to go take a look at their Open House - Thursday 1/17 from 10am to 7pm at 213 N. 9th Street.)

But my initial reactions are:

- The CCDC's focus and perspective is on downtown Boise, and so that's where their interest lies. And a big, attractive downtown facility would certainly enhance downtown, to some degree.

- If we've got $78 million available for improved transportation in the area, is the best use of that money to build a big fancy downtown hub? How about pumping it into the bus SYSTEM first? How about more routes, or more buses running those routes? How about evening or Sunday service? How about we get buses transporting more people (downtown and elsewhere), and let the improved ridership justify the need for the hub center? Rather than assuming, "If we build it, they will come..."

"Transit Center of Dreams."

In any case, go see their open house, and make your opinions heard!

Commuter-in-chief let us down

2008-01-08T21:30:00.000-07:00

In his State of the State message yesterday, Gov. Butch Otter expressed his support for local-option legislation that would allow voters to subsidize road improvements - but he didn't say anything about transit.

Was it merely a sin of omission? Reports in the Statesman today indicated that may be the case. But that's curious, given Otter's admission last year that the area has a transit problem and his statement that he would sign a local-option bill aimed only at transit.

What will it be, governor? Are you going to lead on this issue, or not?

Too late for resolutions?

2008-01-06T12:21:00.000-07:00

Naaaah! It's never too late to resolve to drive less and use transit more. If you intend to drive less in 2008, please post your resolution in the comments.

Mine is short and sweet: I will live car-free at least 100 days in 2008. Every three or four days (at least!), I will either walk, take the bus, or bike to get wherever I need to go. That's probably pretty close to what I managed in 2007, but this year, I want to make it official.

If that seems too drastic to you, consider leaving your car at home one day a week - or even one day a MONTH. Every little bit helps - but the more you can do, the better

Legislature begins - transit chances murky

2008-01-06T11:47:00.001-07:00

The Idaho Legislature will open its 2008 session this week. Transportation is widely seen as one of the top issues, but many lawmakers seem fixated more on widening roads and building new highways than on any meaningful reform to the Treasure Valley's mediocre public transit system. Today's Idaho Statesman includes several articles that highlight the difficulty transit advocates will face in getting the legislature to act on long-overdue improvements.

Some area lawmakers have seen the light. In an op-ed in today's Statesman, Rep. Darrell Bolz (R-Caldwell) wrote, "Tied to the improvement of I-84 has to be better public transportation." But Bolz doesn't sit on the House Rev & Tax Committee, which was responsible for trashing last year's local-option bill to fund public transit. Rep. Gary Collins (R-Nampa), co-chair of that panel, told the Statesman he's still not sold on local option, even though the legislation proposed for 2008 now includes the ability for local governments to ask voters to approve a local-option sales tax not just for transit, but for highways, too. Even John McGee (R-Nampa), chair of the Senate Transportation Committee and a supporter of better transit, told the newspaper he hasn't seen "many people warming up to the idea."

But the biggest hurdle may be overcoming a sentiment voiced by Rep. Max Black, one of the few remaining Boise Republicans, who told the newspaper that "We just plain don't have the population base to prevent (mass transit) from being a subsidy." The fact is, mass transit is heavily subsidized by taxpayer dollars all across the United States - but then so are our military, police and fire protection, schools, libraries, and ... oh yes ... roads.

We're caught in the same Catch-22 we were last session. Lawmakers complain about empty buses, but they are unwilling to let voters decide on a small tax increase that would vastly improve bus service and help transit become a more workable option for Treasure Valley residents. They also conveniently ignore the very popular intercounty services that are helping to show that there's a market for people who want to ditch their cars and take the bus - or better yet, light rail - to their far-flung jobs.

Update 1/08/08 - John Miller of the Associated Press is reporting that "tax-hawk Republicans suggested they would only allow the (local option taxation) measure past the House Revenue and Taxation Committee if it was first put to a statewide vote next November as a constitutional amendment. That raises the stakes considerably, since the measure would require two-thirds House and Senate approval to get on the ballot."

I'll stick with what I wrote yesterday: Transit supporters need to make the case that quality transit fits in the same box with other subsidized amenities that most urban areas take for granted. Even tax-averse Republicans admit that we need to use tax dollars for police, fire, and roads. Why not transit - especially when transit would help alleviate so many other pressing issues, including air quality and congested roads.

The other point that must remain clear: Quality public transit is a key factor that companies consider when deciding whether to relocate a business. If lawmakers are serious about keeping Idaho competitive for business, they will pass the local-option bill for transportation needs, and they will do it this session.

The cost of transportation

2007-12-31T10:48:00.000-07:00

(Guest post by Bikeboy. This is very similar to a post I put on my "Bike Nazi" blog. I'm also posting it here, because I'm confident it's of interest to public transit advocates.)

We got the memo at the office last Friday. It reads like this:

Effective January 1, 2008, the mileage reimbursement rate for the use of personal cars in conjunction with company business will be increased to 50.5¢ per mile, up from the current 48.5¢. The new rate is consistent with the maximum standard mileage rate currently authorized by the IRS.

Of course, the cost for using your car for personal business is about the same, but you don't get reimbursed. You just write out the checks... for gas, and for car payments, tires, repair expenses, parking, insurance, etc., etc. (It's easy to just consider the cost of fuel, since it comes up the most regularly.)

The IRS allowance is probably a somewhat-accurate indicator of what the actual cost is, to operate a motor vehicle. Could you save money by leaving the car home and taking the bus? There's a good chance of it. (ValleyRide just released their 2008 fare schedule - a local trip remains flat at $1.)

Passing judgment, again

2007-12-14T16:13:00.000-07:00

Boy, Valley Ride sure doesn't make it easy to help the needy during the holidays.

I picked a card off the Giving Tree on the Grove in downtown Boise, on which the Women's and Children's Alliance specifies needs for their clients who are facing family crises. My card requested adult bus passes, youth bus passes, and umbrellas.

It's easy enough to buy adult bus passes in downtown Boise, where they are available at Boise City Hall and Winco. But if you're looking for a youth bus pass? You need to drive to Valley Ride's Meridian HQ. As I've reported in the past, a trip to Meridian is also necessary for those of us who want to buy long-term bus passes.
Why can't Valley Ride sell youth passes at Boise City Hall - at least during the holidays, when the WCA is requesting them?

Congratulations to COMPASS

2007-12-05T20:15:00.000-07:00

COMPASS - the Community Planning Association of Southwest Idaho - has scooped up two national awards in recent months. The International Association for Public Participation (IAP2) has picked the "Communities in Motion: Regional Long-Range Transportation Plan 2030" as a 2007 Project of the Year Merit Award winner, acknowledging COMPASS for its "use of innovative public participation techniques and for successfully involving the public in the planning process." The award was given November 15 in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Earlier this fall, COMPASS' Communities in Motion plan also won the National Award for Outstanding Achievement in Metropolitan Transportation Planning from the Association for Metropolitan Planning Organizations. That award was presented in Little Rock, Arkansas, on October 4 during the AMPO Annual Conference.

Way to go, COMPASS. Now if we can start bringing that long-range plan to fruition!

Reminder: air summit today

2007-11-27T06:16:00.001-07:00

Just a reminder that Boise City Council plans a town hall meeting at 7 tonight (Tuesday November 27) at City Hall to discuss the area's declining air quality. The meeting will also air live and taped on Channel 24/7 several times over the next few days. Click here for more details.

It's a TRAIN! No... it's a BUS! No...

2007-11-22T09:36:00.000-07:00

[Guest post by bikeboy.]

Japan Rail, the company that operates passenger trains on the islands of Japan, has just completed testing on a vehicle they call the Dual Mode Vehicle (DMV).

It looks like a bus. But it runs on rails... OR on the street! An informational web brochure about the vehicle can be found by clicking here.

The visionaries in Treasure Valley like to imagine that light rail from Caldwell to Boise might someday be feasible. A few years back, Mayor Brent even spent thousands bringing in a "Regional Sprinter" train from Germany for a demo.

One of the obstacles is, once the train arrives at the Boise Depot, most folks are still quite a distance from their ultimate destinations. Well, imagine if the train, upon arriving at the Depot, could retract its rail-wheels, and continue on down the road to downtown Boise, where people could catch a bus. Huh? Huh?!!

This visionary is imagining a half-dozen of these DMVs loading up passengers at various park-and-rides, etc., around Caldwell, Nampa, Meridian, and then getting on the tracks (with all track-traffic eastbound in the morning). They take the tracks - blowing past that Interstate bumper-to-bumper - to the Boise (train) Depot, where they hop onto the pavement and proceed downtown, depositing the passengers at a downtown Boise multi-mode transit depot. Once downtown, passengers could catch a real bus or taxi, or maybe even walk. (Or, the DMVs could deploy directly from the Depot to various destinations around the city. Throw on some bike racks, and they would be even more flexible.) Then, in the afternoon, those half-dozen DMVs load up their passengers at the same downtown depot, drive to the train Depot and hop the rail... which is all-westbound in the afternoon. They speed, unimpeded by rush-hour traffic, to their various destinations in west Treasure Valley.

Toot! Toot!

A bit more about the author: I personally lean toward bicycles-as-alternative-transportation, but realize the 2-wheeler isn't practical for everybody. I share Julie's enthusiasm about public transit, and appreciate her allowing me "guest poster" privileges. As a native Boisean, I am deeply concerned about the current direction (L.A.-style sprawl) that my home town is headed.

Just the facts

2007-11-19T21:23:00.000-07:00

Here are some interesting statistics distributed at the recent Idaho Transit Summit:

Miles of bus transit
Oregon 2,970
Utah 1,612
Idaho 217

Miles of light rail transit
Oregon 77
Utah 30
Idaho 0

Transit passenger miles/2005
Oregon 486,880,700
Utah 174,424,500
Idaho 6,900,000

Miles of public road
Oregon 66,902
Idaho 46,456
Utah 41,852

Population/2006
Oregon 3,620,771
Utah 2,507,417
Idaho 1,432,664

And here are a few more eye-opening statistics from the Idaho Statesman's November 18 editorial on air quality:

2007 good air quality days (to November 14): 181
2007 days with air-quality alerts: 139

2001-2006 average good air quality days: 269.7
2001-2006 average air-quality alert days: 95.5

(Space here to draw your own conclusions ... )

By the way, the Boise City Council will hold an air quality summit at 7 p.m. next Tuesday, November 27, at City Hall.

Draft legislation available

2007-11-13T22:20:00.000-07:00

The Valley Regional Transit website has links to the proposed legislation that would allow voters to decide on local option taxes to fund construction and maintenance of public transportation and highways. Public comments are welcome through November 29.

As I write this, I'm sitting in Spokane, a city that is almost exactly the same as Boise in land mass and population. Somehow, Spokane manages to have at least twice as much transit as we do: more routes, longer hours, evening and Sunday service, you name it. Three years ago, more than two-thirds of Spokane residents voted to double their local transit sales tax from three-tenths to six-tenths of a cent to make up for lost state funds.

It saddens me greatly that in Idaho, we have to make road-building part of the package if we want to get better transit. But hey, we're Idaho, where the legislature is still run by ruralites who don't give a damn about Ada and Canyon counties, and - let's be frank - a few urban legislators who still haven't come around to the fact that traffic is killing our valley. The Boise Bus Blog will probably support the proposed legislation because it appears like the only way to improve what has to be the worst transit system for a metro area of our size anywhere in the United States.

Bus baby arrives; Seattle votes

2007-11-05T20:46:00.000-07:00

I'm a big fan of Seattle's Bus Chick, whom I learned about via the Transit Blog Aggregator. Bus Chick Carla and her husband Adam (a.k.a. Bus Nerd, whom she met on the bus, of course) rode two buses to the hospital to give birth to their new baby. Her name is Rosa, after the "original bus chick," Carla writes. Read more here.

Meanwhile in Seattle, voters will decide Tuesday whether or not to pass a Roads and Transit package (Proposition 1), which would fund both a 50-mile light rail extension and more roads and bridges in the Puget Sound area. Many environmentalists are torn over Prop 1 because it would mean a lot of new roads in addition to new transit. In a preview of what we may face here in the Treasure Valley (where transit proponents are now backing a local option tax that would allow money to be used for roads and transit), Michael at Carless in Seattle genuinely agonized over his vote and finally voted yes. Read his deliberations here.

Could Amtrak help TV transit?

2007-10-24T19:47:00.000-06:00

Idaho Statesman columnist Tim Woodward has a fine essay today about the possibility that Amtrak might return to Boise after more than 10 years. He writes:

A generation of Idahoans is growing up not knowing what a passenger train is. They don't have a clue that they're missing out on one of the most civilized ways to travel.

Sen. Mike Crapo would like to change that. Crapo is considering co-sponsoring a bill that could bring Amtrak trains back to southern Idaho. That's good news for young people whose idea of a train is an antique locomotive in Julia Davis Park — to say nothing of former passengers who have alternately fumed and sulked since our trains were taken away...

... "They're looking at expanding or returning service in some areas, and there's a huge gap in the Mountain West," Crapo spokesman Lindsay Nothern said. "We want to see a train back in southern Idaho. There's been a lot of growth in Boise, Portland and really all along the line. There potentially are a lot more passengers than there were when the Pioneer was cut."

Woodward's column got me thinking: If Amtrak comes back to Boise, it would come back to Nampa, too. Depending on when the trains run, would there be a possibility that some people could use Amtrak to commute between Idaho's two largest cities?

Probably not. You can commute from Seattle to Tacoma on Amtrak, but it would cost about $22 a day with an advance purchase. (Woodward boasted of traveling 350 miles on Amtrak for $48. The farther you go on Amtrak, the cheaper the per-mile cost.) Still, considering gas, parking, and the relaxing train vibe, perhaps $22 is worth it for some well-to-do Puget Sound commuters.

Another potential dilemma: We wouldn't have the amount of service that West Coast and East Coast train riders enjoy. If it turns out that the day's lone westbound train leaves Boise at 11:30 a.m. and the only eastbound comes through Nampa at 3:15 p.m, that obviously wouldn't work too well for commuting.

OK, so maybe we can't count on a resurrected Amtrak to relieve rush-hour traffic on Interstate 84. The train would still help whet local appetites for more public transit and give us all a great long-distance transportation alternative.

I agree: Let's bring back Amtrak. You can write Sen. Crapo in support of this idea here.

Notes from the transit summit

2007-10-18T18:36:00.000-06:00

I was only able to attend the latter third of Tuesday's Idaho Transit Summit, so feel free to add info in the comments below if you caught the earlier sessions. But while I was there, I learned:

1) There is solid, bipartisan, statewide support for giving Idahoans the opportunity to vote on a local options tax for our transportation needs. Many speakers spoke in support of a compromise bill proposed for the 2008 Idaho Legislature, which would allow communities to seek approval for funding for both public transit and highway needs. "How do we get legislators to understand that people want the right to determine their own future?" Idaho Falls councilwoman Karen Cornwell asked to enthusiastic applause.

State Sen. John McGee (R-Nampa) and House Minority Leader Wendy Jaquet (D-Ketchum) also expressed support for local option taxing authority, as did Coeur d'Alene city councilwoman Dixie Reid, businessman Chuck Winder, Eagle Mayor Nancy Merrill, and Nampa Mayor Tom Dale. The only naysayer on hand seemed to be Rep. Scott Bedke of Oakley, who suggested that leaders of communities outside the Treasure Valley may be OK with watching the metro area struggle because urban transit woes might mean better odds for their own economic development efforts.

Idaho is currently one of only four states that does not have a dedicated funding mechanism for transit - and Bedke is one of the House Rev & Tax Committee members who refused to let the local option question go to the full House last session. "My area of the state has benefited from the old system," Bedke said.

2) Some Idaho communities are doing impressive things with the limited funding we have. The Coeur d’Alene Tribe, the Kootenai Metropolitan Planning Organization, the State of Idaho, and Kootenai County all teamed to create Citylink, a free bus system that began two years ago and serves almost all of Kootenai County plus parts of Benewah County. In that time, ridership has grown from 44,000 to more than 250,000. "The more services we can provide, the higher our ridership is getting," said Reid.

3) Keynote speakers LaVarr Webb of Utah and Charlie Hales of Oregon told how transit benefits their states. Describing himself as a staunch lifelong Republican and allowing parallels between the conservative Utah and Idaho legislatures, Webb added that nothing in his philosophy rules out giving voters the power to decide whether to tax themselves, as Utah voters have done for public transit.

Hales, a former Portland city councilman, stressed the need to get business leaders on board for any proposal. "Donald Trump was right: Greed is good," he noted, adding that a robust transit system has been a boon to the Portland area's economy. Webb echoed this, saying that business and chamber support can give cover to an otherwise reluctant legislature. At this, Chuck Winder made note of the Idaho National Laboratory in Eastern Idaho - which provides private bus transportation for its employees - and wondered, "I still don't understand why Micron spends millions on parking lots when it could spend that on transporting its employees. But we have to have a better system before people will use it."

Hales pointed to the example of Tucson, where voters repeatedly turned down transit funding initiatives before finally approving a compromise proposal similar to the one contemplated here. Quoting Theodore Roosevelt, Hales said, "Above all, try something." He suggested that some cities have done well by funding transit projects with means other than added tax dollars, "to give people an opportunity to experience good transit" before asking them to pay more for it.

Idaho Transit Summit set Oct. 16

2007-10-09T21:17:00.000-06:00

Thank you all for your patience with my sporadic bus blogging these days. I started a new job (as online organizer for the Study Circles Resource Center) a month ago. Beyond that, I am working nights to finish the seventh edition of my guidebook Idaho Off the Beaten Path. Together with various and sundry volunteer activities, I don't have a lot of time for extracurricular blogging. But there's a lot going on, so I will try to bring us up to speed ...

Next Tuesday morning (October 16), Boise State University and more than a dozen mayors from all over Idaho will play host to the Idaho Transit Summit. Speakers from Utah and Oregon will discuss what's happened in their states, and Idaho leaders will try to come to grips with what is and isn't possible here in the Gem State. Click here for more info. The free events run from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Jordan Ballroom at BSU's Student Union. No RSVP is required.

Transit funding is certain to top the agenda next week, and The Idaho Statesman editorialized today about the likelihood that transit backers will float legislation that would also allow local option taxation for road projects. A snip: "For transit backers, splitting local tax dollars with road projects represents a half-a-loaf compromise. But it's better than nothing, considering that Idaho is one of but four states that provide no dedicated state or local dollars for public transportation." Read the whole editorial here.

Also in today's Statesman, a report on the Boise mayoral race included this: "The candidates had different approaches to mass transit, with (Jim) Tibbs emphasizing the need for a functional bus system in Ada and Canyon counties before looking to commuter or light rail trains. But (Dave) Bieter said he's sold on the benefits of a commuter rail line along the region's existing tracks. He also emphasized the need to make the Idaho Legislature's adoption of a local option tax to pay for transit a 'political inevitability.'"

Finally (for now), Idaho Smart Growth is seeking people to help with a transit Neighborhood Outreach Day on October 20 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m . If you can help, email Rachel at idahosmartgrowth dot org or call 333-8066.

We're doing something right

2007-09-24T21:56:00.000-06:00

There was a fascinating collection of transit-related articles in today's Idaho Statesman. A cover story featured the Ada County Highway District's van pool program which - who knew?! - is the "oldest multi-employer vanpool program in the country." It's been rolling since 1976 and currently has 65 van pools serving more than 700 people. Many users of the program live in Canyon County. In fact, more than 13 percent of Canyon County residents commute via carpool or vanpool, compared to 10.7 percent nationally. The number is rising as growing numbers of Canyon County workers (many of whom work in Ada County) have commutes nearly as long as people in Seattle.

A sidebar to the article gives a handy overview of the current transit situation in Idaho which, in a word, is bleak. Disappearing federal funds, $1.7 billion in unfunded transportation needs, and lack of local funding mechanisms are all conspiring to put the Treasure Valley farther behind on meeting existing needs, never mind preparing for the future. The article adds that the same transportation coalition that worked for a local option tax will be back for the 2008 Legislature, and that if lawmakers balk again at allowing southwestern Idahoans to vote on a local option tax, transit backers will take the matter to voters via an initiative.

Three minutes early

2007-09-18T22:23:00.000-06:00

I've been either missing or waiting on buses a lot these past few days.

Last Saturday, I wanted to catch the 1:15 bus from downtown to the Hyde Park Street Fair. I had to be there by 2 to help out at a booth. When the bus didn't show up by 1:30, I decided I'd be better off walking.

Yesterday, I took the State Street bus to meet friends for lunch. The bus back downtown was two minutes early, but fortunately, I was at the stop in time. I transferred to the Vista bus downtown, only to sit on the bus a full five minutes past departure time before the driver showed up.

Today, I was running a little late to catch the Vista bus downtown, but it's usually pretty much on time, so I wasn't worried. But I watched from a block away as it pulled up at Overland three minutes early. It was a little too far for me to run, so I missed it- and since the Vista bus only runs once an hour at mid-day, I decided to drive instead.

My lessons (re)learned? It's always wise to be at the bus stop five minutes early. Still, I can't help but think about the people who miss these buses by a minute or two, but who are not riding the bus by choice, like I am, but out of necessity. I hope the days comes that Valley Ride can run all its city routes every half-hour minimum, and preferably every 15 to 20 minutes on the major routes. If people know they can rely on another bus to be available in a reasonably short time frame, they'll be much more likely to give bus riding a try.

Green show

2007-09-13T17:29:00.000-06:00

Tune in Monday, September 17, as KBCI Channel 2 in Boise airs its latest Project Green special, this one focused on Treasure Valley transportation options. Yours truly even makes a cameo appearance.

The show airs at 7 p.m. Monday, and I believe it will repeat at 10:45 p.m. on September 18 and 19. Click here for more on Project Green.

Update: Here are the airing times, straight from KBCI:
7 p.m. Monday, September 17
10:30 a.m. Saturday, September 22
10:35 p.m. Sunday, September 30

Pro-transit blogs, everywhere!

2007-09-10T19:50:00.000-06:00

Check out the new addition to my blogroll, the "City Transit Advocates" blog aggregator. Just launched last week, it features 38 blogs that cover transit issues in cities across North America. Let the Seattle Bus Chick to tell you how "it is possible to lead an active, fulfilling, fabulous life without a car." (It's actually pretty easy in Seattle, compared to here.) Marvel at the cool "transitography" visuals - from way beyond Florida - at Transit Miami. Read about the Illinois State Legislature's failure to pass a transit bill at the CTA Tattler. (Nice to know we're not alone ...)

Thanks to Pantograph Trolleypole of The Overhead Wire for including the Boise Bus Blog in this notable and compulsively readable effort.

No parking at Art in the Park

2007-09-08T08:57:00.000-06:00

This weekend is Boise's annual Art in the Park, one of our city's favorite festivals. The main entrance of Julia Davis is closed to traffic during Art in the Park, and parking anywhere in the immediate vicinity is extremely limited. So take Valley Ride downtown on Saturday and save the hassles.

If you must drive, or if you plan to attend the festival Sunday (when no Valley Ride buses run), park downtown and either walk the short distance to Julia Davis Park or catch the shuttle bus that's circling from the park to the heart of downtown. Shuttle bus service also is available from the north side of the Boise Towne Square mall, near Dillards. The shuttle buses will be running from 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Sunday. Have fun at Art in the Park!

New options for BSU commuters

2007-08-30T08:52:00.000-06:00

If you ever travel to Boise State University - whether for classes or community events - you know it's a huge hassle to park on or near campus. Moreover, the majority of BSU's 19,000+ students commute to school, adding to the valley's growing traffic load. But BSU seems committed to addressing these issues.

The Arbiter, BSU's student paper, had a story this week on a few new options that may make travel to BSU a bit less wearing. Free shuttle service is now available between the main campus and the BSU West campus in Nampa (which is also set to be home to the new College of Western Idaho). Free service will also be available to BSU from other outlying communities. Read more here.

Don't forget that shuttle service is also available between downtown Boise and BSU on football game days - like today. Go Broncos!

In related news, Boise Mayor Dave Bieter had a re-election fundraiser last night. I wasn't there in time to hear him speak about his vision for a second term, but people told me that his pledge to improve transit got the most applause by far.

Take the bus to the fair

2007-08-23T07:06:00.000-06:00

I took a new-to-me route yesterday, the No. 8 Chinden to the Western Idaho Fairgrounds. I was one of three people who got off at the stop at Chinden and Kent in Garden City, a short walk to the entrance gates. The other two were teenage girls probably arriving to take advantage of the fair's special rate for rides between noon and 6 p.m. Wednesday.

Of course, since bus service ends around 6 p.m. and most people stay at the fair well past that, it'd be hard for many fairgoers to rely on Valley Ride for a trip home. But the lack of evening service wasn't an issue for me since I was meeting my husband, who arrived later.

How many times have your family fair schedules been staggered so that you wound up with two vehicles at the fair? How many times have you gone out of your way to shuttle your older kids to the fair when they could've taken the bus instead, saving you at least one trip? Both Route 8 and Route 10 (Hill Road/Maple Grove) serve the fairgrounds.

Why not take the bus to the fair this year? Hint: If you have to transfer to a fairgrounds route (as I did from the No. 3 Vista), a $2 day pass is your best bet even if you are only riding one way. Also remember that most Valley Ride routes (including Nos. 8 and 10) run only once an hour during the middle of the day, so make your plans accordingly if you need to arrive by a certain time. And since there's so Sunday service at all, forget about riding the bus for the 2007 fair's final day.

Back soon. Really.

2007-08-16T17:10:00.000-06:00

I'm finally done with my summer travels, which involved a sublime week in which I didn't get in my car at all in mid-July, followed by a week in ferry-full British Columbia, then a business trip on which I made full use of Chicago's fine CTA, then another biz trip on which I experienced the full force of this summer's screwy air travel. (I spent seven hours at O'Hare last Wednesday on what was supposed to be an hour layover, but I've heard of far worse.)

Now that I am home for good, more or less, I went to buy a one-year pass at Valley Ride yesterday. Denied again - but they sold me 12 one-month passes for the price of an annual one, so I can't complain. Word is that Valley Ride may be phasing out the annual passes. I think it's still possible to get one, but only when the right person is in the office at a certain phase of the moon, I guess.

I'll be back on the blog on a bit more regular basis pretty soon.

Summer break

2007-07-12T21:38:00.000-06:00

I'm taking a midsummer blogging break. I'll be back online in a few weeks.

Bikeboy tells it!

2007-07-06T11:10:00.000-06:00

In an excellent guest post at the Boise Guardian, Bikeboy says a mouthful about Treasure Valley growth, air quality, and leadership (or lack thereof). He writes that he wants to elect a mayor who would support "improved mass transit, both rhetorically and monetarily. Mass transit will always have to be subsidized by the taxpayers, just like the roads. But I don’t think
it’s adequate to just keep throwing taxpayer dollars at the current system, which is obviously of very limited value to very few citizens.

"Perhaps the traditional 'spoke and hub' system has run its course. Maybe it’s time to explore alternatives, like shuttle buses for downtown and other business/office centers, more park-and-ride lots out at the periphery, etc. I am NOT an expert, but I know people will be reluctant to ride a bus that’s a major inconvenience at both ends."

I think we need to keep the spoke-and-hub system, mainly because it serves people who have no other transportation, or who choose to use it (and who live close enough to do so). I'd argue somewhat with the "major inconvenience" statement. Aside from lack of service in the evenings and Sunday, I find it very easy to ride the bus from my close-in home on the Bench. Yes, it often takes planning to make my schedule mesh with the once-and-hour midday bus runs, but it can be done.

Still, Bikeboy's right that the system needs to be configured to take traffic off of I-84, via shuttle buses, more park-and-rides (since the commuter routes are a hit), and other services that will help curb the area's growing traffic and air quality woes. He also has a lot of creative ideas for bike paths along canals, bike-friendly workplaces, and restrictions on parking lots, and he hammers home the key point: that if we all chose to live closer to our work, this would not be happening. Check it out.

Riding the bus is cool

2007-07-05T15:00:00.000-06:00

For so many reasons, it's cool to ride the bus - especially on days when our air quality is moderate or worse. Bus riders are always cool because we're helping keep extra vehicles off the road.

But literally, it's cool to ride the bus. I climbed abroad a Vista bus at 8th and Idaho about 12:15 today, after a hot walk from the YMCA. It was probably about 75 degrees on board. It felt so good.

Some of the buses seem to overdo it: One I ride on the Overland route is frequently so cold that I need to put on a sweater. But the chill still feels nice on these hot summer days.

My bus pass expires

2007-07-01T14:45:00.000-06:00

My six-month bus pass expired the other day. Due to upcoming vacations, I am not going to buy a new one until August, when I hope to get a full annual pass. (If you've been reading the bus blog since the start, you'll recall that I tried to buy an annual pass as my New Year's Resolution last last December, but Valley Ride couldn't sell me one. I hear that's been remedied - but I'll still need to drive to Meridian (off the bus route) to buy my pass!

Did I get my money's worth from the six-month, $165 pass? I rode the bus about 140 times which - at $1 per ride - equals about $140 in bus fares. I estimate I traveled 450 miles on those trips; my car gets about 25 mpg in the city, so that's about a $55 gas savings. Add in maybe $50 or so in downtown parking fees I avoided and the small monthly discount on my car insurance, and I probably saved about $100 using the bus.

That's not a lot, but I'm not really in this for the money. I'm doing it because it's the right thing to do. People who ride the bus farther and more frequently than I do can save much more, of course - and have an even greater impact on keeping our roads and air clear. People who walk or bike save even more!

Final June stats

2007-07-01T14:35:00.000-06:00

I rode the bus 20-something times in June. (I've been a little less diligent in logging my rides.) I stuck to the usual routes, the Vista and Overland. My goal is to ride the cool new claymation Art in Transit bus (and get a photo). Anyone know which route that's on?

I drove a whopping 721 miles in June, which will probably be my second-highest monthly total this year. The high total was due to a roadtrip to the Magic Valley (about 250 miles round trip) and another to Sagehen Reservoir (about 100 miles RT?). Other than that, it was a pretty normal month. I drove when I had to, i.e., when the buses weren't running (evenings and Sundays) or when I had errands off the routes. I've driven 2,187 miles in the first six months of this year, but I'll add on another 1,200 or so in July due to vacations.

I won't be keeping stats for July due to vacation and the fact I've temporarily let my bus pass lapse.

Well, duh ....

2007-06-29T06:56:00.000-06:00

There's a story in the paper today (which I also heard last winter at the Statehouse) about how the Number 40 Nampa Express bus route is so popular that people at the final inbound stop in Meridian have sometimes had to sit on the floor. Meridian Mayor Tammy de Weerd suggested that if people have to sit on the floor, perhaps her city ought to pull its $98,000 annual contribution to Valley Ride.

Well, mayor, that certainly won't help matters. What I'm wondering is how Meridian - one of the West's fastest-growing cities - gets off paying less than 100K into Valley Ride when Boise ponies up more than $4 million (which Dave Bieter recommends go up to $5 million in the next budget cycle).

The story goes on:

(Valley Regional Transit director Kelli) Fairless said VRT increased its capacity on the agency's most popular commuter lines on June 15, switching from 24-passenger buses to 43-seat vehicles. ...

The Nampa Express intercounty buses, which begin in Nampa and pick up additional riders in south Meridian before heading to Boise, often filled up in the mornings before reaching the Meridian Park & Ride. That left some Meridian riders to sit on the floor in an open space near the back of the bus, said Mark Carnopis, spokesman for VRT.

The No. 43 Caldwell Express, which travels between Caldwell and Boise, was also crowded and received a larger bus, Carnopis said.

So far, the larger buses are keeping riders off the floor, but they're already full to the point that VRT doesn't want to advertise intercounty service, for fear of once again surpassing capacity, Carnopis said.

Carnopis said VRT's ridership has gone up about 40 percent in the past 18 months.

Two things:

Valley Ride needs to do whatever is necessary to add sufficient seat space to the popular intercounty runs to accommodate as many people as possible. If the demand is there, it must be met, so VRT officials can both demonstrate and encourage the growing appetite for transit. Reluctant riders won't keep riding if they're uncomfortable; they may not even get to the bus stop if they hear buses are always full. Add a still-bigger bus, or send two smaller vehicles, or add another run each day ... whatever it takes.

Meridian has a cooler head than de Weerd's in council member David Zaremba (a VRT board member) who suggested that cutting the city's funding to VRT wouldn't solve the problem. Reporter Hilary Costa wrote: "Zaremba said until the Idaho state legislature gives voters the power to approve a local option tax, cities need to continue to pay to keep the transit agency's most basic functions running, so that planned improvements can be implemented."

Mayor de Weerd needs to get with the program. Meridian deserves more and better service from VRT, but it also needs to accept (and probably increase) its share of the fiscal and moral imperative - and economic development potential - of promoting and funding decent transit.

Your guide to ride

2007-06-27T23:23:00.000-06:00

Jeanne Huff had a cool story in the Idaho Statesman today about why it's hip to ride the bus - or it should be, anyway. Huff does a good job explaining the small stuff regular Boise bus riders take for granted - flagging down a bus, requesting a stop, having exact change, etc. It was nice public-service journalism and who knows? Maybe it'll actually entice a few more folks to give transit a try.

New service from Middleton to Boise

2007-06-21T07:08:00.000-06:00

From the Idaho Statesman:

Commuters across the country are being asked to keep their cars in their garages Thursday and use public transportation as part of the second annual National Dump the Pump Day. Middleton City Council member Loni Parry, Star Mayor Nathan Mitchell and Eagle Mayor Nancy Merrill will participate by taking a ride on ValleyRide’s new Route 44 Express to the Park & Ride lot off East Riverside Drive in Eagle, where a celebration of the new intercounty route will take place. The Route 44 Express provides service to Caldwell, Middleton, Star, Eagle and Boise. The celebration will be at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at the Park & Ride lot.

Sounds good. Here's more info on the Route 44 Express, which will run free the rest of this month.

Transit news roundup

2007-06-17T08:05:00.000-06:00

Sorry about the lack of posting! Here are a few recent news stories related to Treasure Valley transit ...

It sounds like both Boise mayoral candidates are committed to boosting transit. At a luncheon last week with real estate brokers, Jim Tibbs said the current level of congestion on the area's roadways "just flat sucks" and Dave Bieter recommitted himself to better transit as part of a livable city. More here.

Also last week, Bieter proposed a slight increase in the city's share of Valley Ride's budget - but will that be enough to sustain the struggling system, which faces some funding losses due to the city's growth, not to mention a state legislature hostile to allowing local option taxes?

Meanwhile, air quality in the Treasure Valley "just flat sucks," too. In the current issue of the Idaho Business Review, Eddie Kovsky writes, "The air quality in the Treasure Valley could be designated a non-attainment area by the Environmental Protection Agency by the end of the summer. Pollution, generated mostly by automobiles, could exceed the maximum amount allowed by the federal government.

"But here’s the funny part: if the Treasure Valley slips into non-attainment status, the first thing the government will likely do is withhold highway funding."

Hmmm. That doesn't sound too funny to me - but it may be what it takes to get the legislature to finally tackle our region's transit shortfall.

Final May stats

2007-06-04T09:52:00.001-06:00

I rode the bus only 15 times in May - my lowest monthly total this year. I had a bad spring cold and allergies much of the month, coupled with a demanding new work assignment, all of which which kept me closer to home.

I didn't drive much in May, either, but I did wind up buying gas twice. I filled up last Wednesday (at $3.189 a gallon) for a trip this past weekend to the Magic Valley, on which I logged 277 miles. So I'll be buying gas again soon, but I hope to make THAT last until a camping trip the last week of this month. As of the end of May, I'd driven 1,466 miles so far in 2007. Not bad.

Looking for ways to use less gas?

2007-05-28T16:12:00.000-06:00

Joe Kolman, the Idaho Statesman's "Environment at Home" columnist, has some good ideas in today's paper for people who insist they have no choice in their driving habits. Taking the case of a New Jersey woman who is spending $300 a month on gas, he writes:

She could trade in her SUV (22 mpg) for a fuel-efficient car.

She could carpool or take public transit, even just once a week.

She could move closer to work. (She commutes an absurd 110 miles a day.)

Kolman writes, "It's fairly easy to convince ourselves that we don't have choices. But our ability to survive depends on changing to adapt to new situations. People have been doing it for a long time; do we want to be the ones who finally just give up because we can't figure out how to drive less?"

Read it all here.

Gas prices hit record high

2007-05-21T19:45:00.000-06:00

The United States made history today by wiping out the previous inflation-adjusted average gas price. The average price for regular unleaded is now $3.21 a gallon. That's about 16 cents more a gallon than this time last year, and we probably won't see gas for less than $3 a gallon until fall.

One month from today is Dump the Pump Day. How timely. Read more here.

Getting to the grocery store

2007-05-21T19:16:00.000-06:00

Via a post at Daily Kos, I learned about how U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan and several others from the House Hunger Caucus recently took part in a food stamp challenge. On his blog, Ryan described the challenges of trying to eat on a mere $21 a week.

What does this have to do with public transportation? Take it from Ryan:

As several people have mentioned it the comments, a problem faced many across the country, especially the inner-city poor, are the lack of low-cost food stores in an easily accessible area. These people can’t afford to drive to a Wal-Mart in the suburbs for the bargains; they aren’t members of the warehouse club stores. If you are constrained to where you can walk or take public transportation, then you can only shop at the places in your neighborhood, and you are forced to pay whatever they charge. That is EXACTLY what I was doing. I had the option to head out to Costco or Shoppers and decided instead to replicate as close as possible the REAL experience of someone who can't afford a car and is constrained by public transportation.

Here in Boise, we are blessed to be compact enough that most of our lower-income folks live within walking distance or a bus ride of a supermarket. However, as I've said many times before, bus riders must time their trips carefully so they can catch one of the buses that run only once an hour in most of the city, and not at all in the evenings or on Sundays. As for Costco, it's a reasonable hike from the nearest bus stop at Overland and Cole Road, but the quantities sold there make it impractical for shopping with anything less than a vehicle, anyway.

Air quality info

2007-05-16T19:15:00.000-06:00

With warm temperatures and lots of pollen, Boise's airshed has been a little murky these past few days. In fact, our air quality was only rated "moderate" today, and our particles count was as high as Los Angeles and higher than Las Vegas and Phoenix.

Click here to see current air quality conditions in Boise and here to compare our conditions with cities nationwide. On days with less-than-good air quality, we can all help by taking alternative modes of transportation, combining trips if we must drive, parking the lawnmower, and abiding by burn bans.

Gas prices up - ridership, too

2007-05-12T07:58:00.000-06:00

Valley Ride spokesman Mark Carnopis is quoted in the Statesman today as saying bus ridership on the intercounty lines is up 35.6 percent since fiscal year 2004 and 9.3 percent for the first six months of FY 2007. "We're looking at adding some larger buses on the inter-county route, because some of those buses are already over capacity," he said.

At a $2 to $4 roundtrip cost (cheaper with a monthly pass), riding the bus between Nampa or Caldwell and Boise just makes sense - if commuters can tweak their schedules to match that of the bus. Hint to to Valley Ride: If the buses are too crowded, don't just think about getting bigger buses. Do it. Nothing will turn off reluctant and casual riders more than not being able to find a seat.

Through the eyes of others

2007-05-12T07:41:00.000-06:00

One rewarding - sometimes sobering - aspect of riding the bus is getting a glimpse of what it's like to live as a person with a handicap. Of course, people with disabilities are much more reliant on public transportation than the general public. Imagine trying to coordinate your daily routine to match a bus system that runs less than 12 hours a day, and only once an hour midday on many routes ... one on which some transfers are all but impossible - unless you want to wait another hour. It's not pretty.

Yesterday, a man with a wheelchair got off the Vista bus with me at the northwest corner of Overland. I'd never before realized this, but there is no curb cut on the Vista side of the northeast corner at that intersection, though there are at the other three.

In other words, had the man wanted to transfer to the westbound Overland bus at the northeast corner, he would have had to cross first to the southwest corner, then to the southeast, then to the northeast. Of course, he probably would miss the Overland bus at that point anyway, since the schedule has it arriving at the intersection about a minute before the Vista bus.

How silly is it that a major intersection like Vista-Overland doesn't have curb cuts on each corner? Drivers don't notice things like this, and able-bodied pedestrians don't either. But people who use wheelchairs or walkers or guide dogs are all too aware. Yesterday, for a moment, I was, too.

Will a one-day gas boycott help?

2007-05-05T09:46:00.000-06:00

Once again, there's an email going around encouraging drivers to boycott gas stations on May 15. The idea is that if millions of Americans refuse to buy fuel on one day, prices will come down.

The problem is, people who buy gas every few days or even every week will simply fill up on May 14, or wait until May 16. The oil companies won't notice a thing.

If American motorists really wanted to do something to affect the situation, we wouldn't simply refuse to buy gas on May 15. We'd refuse to drive on May 15. We'd walk, bike, or take the bus. (Forget carpooling this one day, OK?)

It's one thing to have a bunch of drivers not buying gas on one day.
It'd be another entirely if those drivers simply refused to drive.

Or as petroleum analyst Marc Routt told the Detroit Free Press: “The only thing that does work, in terms of lower prices, is a change of lifestyle and habit.”

No free rides to the public this May

2007-05-01T22:23:00.000-06:00

It's May, and that means it's time once again for May in Motion, Valley Regional Transit's annual attempt to get more of us to ride the bus, walk, bike, or carpool. Last year, Boise buses were free to ride all month long. A year or two before that (maybe both), May in Motion meant free rides on Fridays. But the free rides are gone this year, replaced by an effort to help employers earn free bus passes for their employees.

May in Motion events include an alternative transportation fair from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. this Wednesday, May 2, on 8th Street between Idaho and Bannock. A Bike and Walk to Work Day celebration and breakfast is planned at the same location from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. on May 18.

Final April stats

2007-05-01T19:14:00.000-06:00

I rode the bus 28 times in April, a new monthly high for me. My trips were mostly on the #3 Vista, as usual, but I took the #14 Hyde Park for the first time, and I shepherded my daughter and four of her friends on the Roosevelt bus one afternoon. It was the first city bus ride for all but two of them. They had a blast; they weren't even fazed by the fact we had to catch the Roosevelt because the Vista had been delayed by a flat tire!

I had ten car-free days in April, yet I still wound up driving 351 miles, 100 more than in March. But with a total of fewer than 1,200 miles logged so far in 2007, I felt safe asking my insurance agent for the low-mile discount available to those who drive less than 7,500 miles a year. It's not much of a discount, but combined with my savings in fuel, parking, and vehicle wear-and-tear, it adds up.

Just today, I filled up the gas tank for the first time since April 3. I paid $2.95 a gallon at the Boise Avenue Maverik, one of the last stations in town with fuel at less than $3 a gallon. I wonder what it'll cost hereabouts by Memorial Day?

Transit tidbits

2007-04-30T20:56:00.000-06:00

Boise's bus system has been in the news a few times in recent days. From a story Sunday in the Idaho Statesman:

Valley Regional Transit officials say they aren't sure yet what caused a propane-powered bus to burst into flames last month, but a City of Boise audit reports ongoing problems in the transit agency's maintenance department. ...

... During the review, an inspection of 15 vehicle maintenance files revealed a number of issues. Most preventative maintenance inspections were not completed on time. Lifetime vehicle mileage was entered incorrectly into the computer system, so preventative maintenance schedules were off.Quality checks of vehicle inspection reports weren't completed.

Most problems identified in the audit have since been corrected, according to the audit report.

The same story reported that local bus ridership is showing some modest increases. Valley Ride had 378,513 passengers from Oct. 1, 2005 to Feb. 28, 2006 and 392,553 for the same period in 2006-2007.

In other recent news, the Statesman reported that transit advocates plan to bring the local option tax plan back to the Idaho Legislature in 2008 and, if that doesn't work, try a citizen initiative in 2010. What's the saying about insanity being the practice of doing the same thing and expecting different results? But sources close to the debate tell me that a few area lawmakers who voted no on local option have received negative feedback from constituents, and that transit backers plan to do a better job countering the limited opposition to the bill.

Seattle sojourn savings

2007-04-28T07:15:00.000-06:00

My husband and I went to Seattle for a few days this week for our anniversary. We stayed with friends in the Wallingford neighborhood northeast of downtown. Now, we could have rented a car, or taken the Gray Line Seattle Airporter, which falsely bills itself as "the least expensive transportation between the downtown Seattle hotels and the Seattle-Tacoma (SeaTac) International Airport." (It starts at $10.25 one way.) But of course, we opted instead for the King County Metro No. 194 bus, which expresses its way up I-5 to downtown. Cost: $1.50, or $1.25 in non-peak hours. Such a deal!

Once downtown, we switched to the No. 16 Northgate bus, which serves downtown, Wallingford and the U-District. It stopped along Stone Way just two blocks from our friends' place. Total travel time from the airport to Wallingford was just about an hour, in early rush-hour traffic. Total cost for two: $3.

Seattle is friendly to people who want to use alternative transportation, so much so that our friends have managed with just one car for a family of four for 15 years. They frequently ride their bikes to work and had a drawer full of bus schedules for various parts of the city, with three routes within a few blocks of their home.

Seattle also is looking forward to the opening of light-rail service from downtown to Sea-Tac in 2009. Many of the tracks downtown appear ready to go; the stretches by the airport are still under construction. In his visit to Boise a few weeks ago, Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels offered his city's light-rail experience as a cautionary tale in how long it takes to plan and build transit: King County voted for its light rail in 1988.

One more note: This weekend, Seattle begins Elliot Bay water-taxi service between West Seattle and the downtown waterfront.

More publicity for TRAX

2007-04-24T11:05:00.000-06:00

The Salt Lake City area's popular TRAX light rail was showcased in an article in The New York Times on Sunday. The article, by reporter Keith Schneider, describes how light rail is leading to a transit-oriented development boom of reasonably priced housing in the Salt Lake suburbs:

Mary Ann Downs, 22, an interior designer, moved into her $193,000 three-bedroom home at Waverly Station in February. Ms. Downs is happy to be near the TRAX system — she plans to use it this spring when the light rail connects to the new commuter line — and she also likes her neighbors.

One of them is David Bailey, 28, who works for a jewelry dealer. He bought a two-bedroom home for $205,000. He said access to the TRAX line, which he rides to basketball and football games downtown, played a part in his decision to buy. “I really feel as gas prices go up, homes near public transportation will increase in value,” he said.

Read more here. Thanks to Zach for the tip.

Parking up the wrong tree

2007-04-20T13:34:00.000-06:00

Pardon the bad pun, in honor of this Earth Day season.

The other day at the Downtown Boise Association annual meeting, DBA director Karen Sander noted with satisfaction that the visitor count for the downtown public parking lots jumped from 657,160 customers in 2005 to 844,762 in 2006. Of course, this means more people are shopping, dining, and recreating downtown.

But if parking is up by roughly a quarter, that means traffic is, too. Anyone who has seen - or experienced - the three-block-line behind the 9th Street parking garage entrance at BoDo understands this all too well.

The DBA wants more and better transit, but I don't see downtown doing as much as it could to promote or augment use of the bus system we already have, other than the well-used BSU football shuttle it offers on game days in the fall. With or without the help of Valley Ride, Downtown Boise ought to be looking at park-and-ride (or walk) lots on the fringes of downtown, paired with a circulator shuttle bus or trolley for those unable to walk; merchant discounts for people who show their bus pass; and much higher parking rates, at least during the day when buses are available.

There's a lot going on downtown during the day this Saturday, from the re-opening of the Capital City Public Market to Earth Day festivities at Julia Davis Park. If you hear of friends planning trips downtown this weekend, why not suggest that they give the bus a try?

Bike Congress at BSU

2007-04-19T10:29:00.000-06:00

I thought Bikeboy would have something about this on his blog, but not yet. This Friday is the annual Bike Congress at Boise State, where you can hear speakers discuss - among other things - bike-friendly campuses and the perils of car doors opening in bike lanes. Here's the full schedule.

When I bike, I'm currently riding a second- or third-hand 10-speed (or is it 15?). But if I had more disposable income, I think I'd spring for one of the $500 Lime bikes (as seen in the Idaho Statesman today, and here) from Trek, with three gears that shift automatically. With just three speeds, I'm not sure the Lime would have enough juice to get me up Protest Hill, but I suppose I could get off and walk - or put it on the bus bike rack!

Raising a generation of riders

2007-04-18T18:00:00.000-06:00

Some of my fondest memories of growing up in Pittsburgh involve riding our trolleys and buses. I'm confident that my adolescent adventures on transit made me the committed bus rider I am today. And the earlier we can start, the better.

I went downtown on the #3 Vista earlier than usual today, sharing my ride with lots of Boise High School students. But the trip back two hours later was even better: Two dozen preschoolers and their teachers from a downtown day-care center clambered on board at 8th and Idaho and rode across downtown to story time at the library. They were all smiles and giggles, and one of the teachers told me the kids absolutely love to ride the bus.

An hour before, at the annual breakfast meeting of the Downtown Boise Association, Boise Mayor Dave Bieter remarked that his own daughter is in love with the book The Wheels on the Bus. "I'm working on a version with a train," he added. (Bieter and visiting leaders from other cities had more to say about transit and other topics. See my report at Red State Rebels.)

Right now, bus riding has a rap among too many people as the transportation option of last resort. But if we can change that image to one of fun, adventure, and camaraderie - clearly the way the preschoolers view it - not to mention that it's the right thing to do to cut traffic and air pollution ... well, maybe we can raise a generation of riders who believe public transit is the best way to go.