The Ada County Highway District will begin measuring the user experience of pedestrians and bicyclists. The ACHD Commission adopted the Livable Streets Performance Measures on Wednesday, June 23.

This effort is something ACHD has been working on since January to ensure the District is providing a transportation network for all people regardless of how they get around. For many years, ACHD has used different performance measures to determine the need and type of bike and pedestrian facilities to be placed on the roadway. This effort will help evaluate existing facilities and ensure new facilities work for those who chose to walk or bike.

This measurement tool identifies numerous factors including traffic speed, traffic volume, buffer widths, protected crossings, and quality of the facility - all focused on the comfort of the user.

"I'm glad it's happening," said Commission President Kent Goldthorpe. "It's making a lot of folks much more comfortable with the thought of riding or walking in our right of way going forward. For that I'm grateful."

The metrics will be used to help determine the best pedestrian and bike facility during project design and identify areas of the transportation network that need improvements.

More information can be found on the Livable Streets Study page.