Weekend Work Ahead
Crews constructing the 30th Street Extension (to be called Whitewater Park Boulevard) will work weekends (primarily Saturdays) between the hours of 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. Allowing crews to work extra days will allow the project to remain on schedule. Project completion is planned for late October 2013.
Accessing the Area
Please remember that 30th Street between Rose and Jefferson streets is an active construction zone that is closed to pedestrians and motorists.
How can I access the River, Greenbelt and Idaho River Sports?
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Vehicles, bikes and pedestrians may use Pleasanton Ave to access this area.
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Bikes and pedestrians may also cross the project area in back of Whittier Elementary School.
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Click here to view a map that illustrates crossings open during construction.
Next Public Construction Meeting: Thursday, June 20th at 5 p.m.
Location: Alta, Inc. job site office, located on 30th Street and Woodlawn.
Join us for an informal meeting with ACHD staff and the general contractor to learn about project progress, upcoming milestones and ask questions. Meetings are held on the third Thursday of each month at 5 p.m. in the job site office.
Have a question, but can’t make it to the meeting? E-mail projects@achdidaho.org or call (208) 387-6100.
Construction Underway
On Wednesday, January 9th, 2013, the ACHD Commission formally awarded the 30th Street Extension (the future Whitewater Park Boulevard) construction contract to Alta Construction of Boise.
Construction began on February 1st, 2013 and is anticipated to be complete at the end of October 2013.
Below are some Frequently Asked Questions regarding construction. To sign up to receive construction updates to your e-mail account, please enter your information under the "Subscribe" section on this page.
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Click here to view a Construction Access Impacts map.
- To read the construction newsletter, click here.
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Weekly construction updates can be found here.
Click on the image to view the
construction phasing plan
which illustrates where and when the contractor intends to perform work along the project. This information is a plan that is subject to change based on weather conditions and other construction-related factors.
Public Meetings During Construction
3rd Thursday of each month from 5-6 p.m.
The public is invited to attend regularly scheduled construction meetings with the contractor to learn about upcoming work and ask questions. Meetings will be held on the 3rd Thursday of each month from 5-6 p.m.
Meeting Location: Alta Construction, Inc. job site, located at 31st Street and Woodlawn Avenue.
Upcoming Meeting Dates:
- June 20th
- July 18th
- August 15th
- September 19th
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How will the construction project affect vehicle, pedestrian and bicycle access in the area?
A: Access along the 30th Street Extension from Reflections Apartments, north to Rose Street, will be closed to vehicles, pedestrians and bikes during construction. However, two pedestrian crossings will be maintained throughout construction – one is located at the back of the Whittier Elementary School property connecting to the Reflections Apartments entrance, with another at Pleasanton Avenue, connecting to the Greenbelt and the pedestrian bridge over the river. Vehicles, pedestrians and bicyclists will be able to access the Boise River, Greenbelt, Whitewater Park, and businesses in this area by using Pleasanton Avenue.
Click here to view a map that illustrates where pedestrian, bike and vehicle restrictions will be in place during construction.
Q: What impacts can be anticipated during construction?
A: Crews will work daytime hours, generally between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Weekend work is possible. Construction impacts may include general construction noise, large equipment moving through the area, ground vibration and possible dust. ACHD and the contractor are required by federal law to control dust during construction by frequently spraying water on open areas.
During the project, construction equipment will not be allowed to use neighborhood streets to access the project area – instead they must use Main Street, State Street or Fairview Avenue.
Q: How can I stay informed during construction?
A: We encourage you to visit this project web page for updates or sign up to receive updates to your e-mail account during construction. To enter your e-mail address, please locate the "Subscribe" section located above on the right side of this page.
The public is also invited to attend regularly scheduled construction meetings with the contractor. Meetings will be held on the 3rd Thursday of each month from 5-6 p.m.,starting on February 21st, and will be held at the Alta Construction, Inc. jobsite, located at 31st Street and Pleasanton Avenue.
If you have questions about the project, you may contact ACHD Project Manager, Dyan Bevins at 387-6225 or by e-mail at projects@achdidaho.org. For emergencies, please contact the Ada County Dispatch at 377-6790 or 9-1-1.
Q: When will construction on the Esther Simplot Park begin?
A: It is anticipated that Boise City will begin work to construct the new park upon completion of the Extension project. The new roadway will be complete in late October 2013.
Pre-Construction Excavation Work Complete
In September 2011, ACHD crews began excavation work on the west side of 31st Street between Regan Avenue and Hester Street in preparation for construction of the 30th Street Extension. A segment of the new roadway will be built on land that was once the site of a gravel pit. To prepare the area for the new roadway, crews dug approximately six-feet-deep to remove the unsuitable material and replaced it with dirt and fill that will provide a stable base for the roadway.
Click here to read a news release regarding the excavation work that occurred in 2011.
Project Design Elements
- Four-lane roadway from State Street to Fairview Avenue (to include medians/turn lanes)
- Two-lane roundabout at 30th Street & Stewart Avenue, future Esther Simplot Park entrance
- Curb, gutter, sidewalks and bike lanes throughout the project area
- Pedestrian crossing signals at 30th Street & Pleasanton Avenue, 30th Street & Jordan Street, and near Whittier Elementary
- Landscaping in select areas throughout the project (to be done by the City of Boise)
- Re-stripe 27th Street to include two travel lanes, a turn lane and bike lanes; eliminating one existing travel lane in each direction (to be done once the overall project is constructed)
To view a map of the project,
click here.
To view a project update flier (updated March 2012),
click here.
Public Involvement
A public open house was held Thursday, January 27, 2011 at the Lowell Elementary School in Boise to present the preliminary project design. To read the letter mailed to those who attended the open house or provided comments please see the Related Documents section of this page.
Materials and displays from the open house can be found under the Related Documents section on the right side of this page. Due to the large file sizes, some displays may take time to download.
To view a video on how to use a roundabout, click here.
Construction
Construction began on February 1, 2013 and is anticiapted to be complete by the end of October 2013.
An increased revenue forecast and reduced cost estimates allowed this project to be moved up from its original 2014 construction year. This project ranks number one among Boise City’s road project requests.
The planned road will provide a new north-south connection from State Street to Fairview Avenue, featuring curb, gutter, sidewalks, medians and bike lanes. The Ada County Highway District is working with Boise City, which has formed a long-range plan for 
the 30th Street neighborhood that incorporates the road as well as the future Esther Simplot Park. Click here for more information on the city's 30th Street Area Master Plan. ACHD will use the traffic analysis from the joint project in the final design of the road.
The estimated $9.7 million road project is slated for construction in 2013, with design occurring in 2010 and right-of-way acquisition in 2011/2012. Construction cost is estimated at $4.7 million.
A charrette, or community planning and concept design effort, occurred in early 2007 to sketch a vision for the 30th Street neighborhood and roadway. A number of recommendations impacting the road came out of the process, which yielded some specific recommendations from the city for the ACHD Commission to examine. Using the charrette's traffic report, ACHD is now considering the following cross sections for the 30th Street:
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State Street to Pleasanton -- A 109-foot-wide roadway with separated sidewalks, planter strips, bike lanes, four travel lanes and a center median (please see full cross section drawings at right).
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Pleasanton to Fairview -- A 90-foot-wide roadway with decreased planter strips and a center turn lane instead of a median. The smaller cross section is proposed to fit into the existing built environment.
The Boise City Council asked ACHD to consider a roundabout for the park entrance instead of the median-separated intersections as depicted in the planning workshop held in early 2007. ACHD has agreed to build a roundabout at the 30th Street and Stewart Avenue intersection, the future entrance to Esther Simplot Park, in place of a signalized intersection. The Boise City Council offered to donate additional park property for the roundabout and participate with additional design and construction costs.
ACHD and city staff have established a cost-sharing agreement for the 30th Street amenities with the city sharing cost for items that are not directly related to the essential transportation function of the road.The city's land-use vision, which will eventually be incorporated into the Boise Comprehensive Plan, will play out over a much longer period, moving ahead as properties are developed or redeveloped in the future.
30th Street Extension Background: In 1968 a portion of the 30th Street Extension was proposed by the Boise River Greenbelt Comprehensive Plan. In the mid-1990s, the proposed road was identified as a needed connection to provide more access into downtown Boise. In 2002, ACHD conducted an alignment study that picked the location for the road. Without a new 30th Street, the study concluded, steadily rising traffic volumes will degrade 23rd and 27th streets.
As part of ACHD's original plan for 30th Street, the shift of traffic volume would allow 27th Street to be converted from a four-lane road with no bike lanes to a three-lane facility with cycling amenities. ACHD was designing 30th Street to have four travel lanes and a center median in 2005 when Boise City asked for the project to be put on hold to allow time for the city's land-use plan. Partnering with the city, ACHD agreed to do the related traffic analysis, which is to be incorporated into the final design of 30th Street.