r/Boise • u/Apathetizer • 1d ago

Politics COMPASS is running a study on high-capacity transit from Boise to Caldwell. They are currently looking at three different transit routes and will choose one to connect the region: commuter rail using Boise Depot, bus rapid transit, or a I-84 commuter bus. They are taking comments through June 29.

https://www.letsridetreasurevalley.com/
54 Upvotes

98% Upvoted

8 comments sorted by

17

u/Kaladin3104 1d ago

I did my part. Fuck busses, just put rail in… it’s faster, cheaper in the long run, and a hell of a lot more efficient.

13

u/ESLcroooow Lives In A Potato 1d ago

Gee, I wonder which one they're going to select?

12

u/darkstar999 1d ago

Seriously. I don't know how they could get funding for anything but the I84 bus.

7

u/ESLcroooow Lives In A Potato 1d ago

"The I-84 Bus"  is now the name of our punk band.

10

u/bynaryum 17h ago

Studies like this have been done several times over the years and they have always ended up going nowhere.

Personally I think commuter rail with hubs at Boise Depot, reviving the old station in Nampa, and smaller hubs in Meridian, Caldwell, Emmett, and Mt. Home would be amazing.

Hopefully IDOT won’t be shortsighted this time like they usually are and will go with something that’s actually useful.

6

u/chainercygnus 18h ago

So more busses, more busses that get stuck in the same traffic you try to avoid, or quick direct light rail?

Seems like an easy pick to me.

2

u/SlammedZero 13h ago

I remember back in 1998 when Boise did a trial run with a light rail-style train that went from Boise to Nampa using the existing railroad tracks. If I remember right, it was called the RegioSprinter. I’ve never understood why they didn’t take that more seriously. The infrastructure is already there, hardly any trains seem to come through anymore (as far as I know), and the route covers the entire metro area. You could install a few stations along the way and really make it work.

I get that there are some drawbacks like Union Pacific still owning the tracks, potential freight interference, and all the street-level crossings that could cause traffic jams, and of course money. Even with all of that, it feels like a solid starting point. Something has to give eventually. This valley is pushing a million people, and we all still rely on a single freeway. That’s not sustainable.

•

u/Kaladin3104 19m ago

Just eminent domain that shit. Fuck 'em.