HEADLINE: 'No parking' signs posted near Boise's Simplot Hill to improve safety for sledders, motorists

Five new "no parking" signs were installed Tuesday on the north side of Cartwright Road near the base of Simplot Hill because of safety concerns following a weekend crash.

A car struck a boy who was sledding Saturday and was unable to stop at the base of the hill. The boy's injuries were serious but not believed to be life-threatening, police said. Police and hospital officials declined to release the child's condition Wednesday.

Crash witnesses and others expressed concern about the safety in the area and urged public officials to take action to make the area safer for sledders.

City of Boise spokesman Adam Park said cars parked at the base of the hill obscured the view of passing motorists Saturday and the sledder slipped between two before entering the road. The new parking restrictions should prevent that from happening again.

"We're not done with what we want to do — that's just one step," Park said. He said other possibilities include some sort of soft barrier at the bottom of the hill that would help keep sledders out of the road.

Park said sledders need to take precautions. He urged children to wear helmets and refrain from sledding during very icy conditions, when it's more difficult to control speed.

Parking still available on Cartwright Road near the hill and on Bogus Basin Road, said Craig Quintana, a spokesman for the Ada County Highway District. ACHD installed the signs at the city's request.