What’s up on 8th Street? Boise project aims for ‘vibrant’ downtown strip
Changes — but not cars — are coming to 8th Street in downtown Boise.
The city’s popular pedestrian plaza is slated for summer’s worth of work to create a “better sense of place” on the two blocks closed to traffic, according to a press release from city spokeswoman Maria Ortega.
The two-phase renovation aims to improve access and amenities along 8th between Main and Bannock streets, a stretch closed to vehicles since the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. The design features bike parking, pedestrian walkways, signage, lighting, landscaping, public seating and accessibility upgrades, Ortega said.
Boise budgeted $2.2 million for work on the south block during fiscal 2026, according to city budget documents. Work on the north block will spill into fiscal 2027, with an estimated price tag of $2 million.
This year’s project follows work during 2024 to bring the promenade into compliance with Americans With Disabilities Act accessibility standards.
The city expects construction between Main and Idaho streets to last from May through September. Starting mid-August, crews plan to move to the section between Idaho and Bannock, eyeing a November wrap date, Ortega said.
“For years, residents, visitors and businesses have enjoyed a car-free 8th Street, allowing for more people to move freely and safely through downtown Boise,” Boise Mayor Lauren McLean said in the release. “These upgrades will strengthen 8th Street as a more accessible, walkable, and vibrant part of our downtown core.”
Businesses will be open during the work, Ortega added, but may lose some or all outdoor seating at times during construction.
The goal is to turn the stretch from an old road into a “vibrant public space” that anyone can use, with more seating, greenery and energy, the city said.
“Once complete,” Ortega said, “the new 8th Street design will create a better sense of place by encouraging movement and providing opportunity for programmable community events, activation and leisure.”