Changes coming to 2 popular blocks in the heart of downtown Boise. Here’s what to know
It may seem unbelievable to Boise newcomers that until a few years ago, 8th Street downtown was in some ways just another street with impatient drivers pushing through to get home from work.
The two blocks between Main and Bannock streets were popular then. But their popularity only grew after Boise closed them to cars during the COVID-19 pandemic, made them exclusively a pedestrian-and-bicyclist corridor, and allowed restaurants to expand into the sidewalks.
The blocks on any weeknight hum with conversation, laughter and diners spilling out of shops carrying plates filled with greasy potato pizza, Korean noodles or German pretzels.
They may be among most important blocks in Boise. Thousands of people walk or ride through them each week. Eighth Street downtown has become an icon of the vibrant city that leaders and residents want Boise to be.
Now, nearly four years after the closure, the city says the temporary changes will become permanent. The temporary orange barriers will go. Bike lane and pavement markings, no longer needed, will go too. Yellow tactile strips will be added underfoot at crossings to better alert people with vision impairments. Street crossings will be upgraded to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act and Pedestrian ramps and signals will be moved.
“Over the past few years, the city has heard support from the community for keeping 8th Street, between Main and Bannock, a car-free space that bicyclists and pedestrians can enjoy,” according to a news release.
“Eighth Street is one of those places that we should have the highest expectations for so that businesses can thrive and all residents are comfortable and inspired by the time they spend there,” said Tim Keane, the city’s director of planning and development, in the release.
The construction will take place in phases, with work starting at the intersection of 8th and Main streets and moving north, according to the city’s website. The city expects the first phase to finish in March.
Phase 2 changes could include shifting how restaurants could lay out patios and where bike parking is located, according to prior Idaho Statesman reporting. Planning, design and outreach for Phase 2 will begin next winter or spring 2025.
The city plans to spend $650,000 for the first phase and $350,000 for the second phase, according to the city’s 2024 budget.
Pedestrians will still be able to use intersections, and businesses will remain open during construction, according to the release.
Greenbelt connection, northern end of 8th to be improved
The stretch along Main and Bannock is not the only segment that could see improvements in the future.
In August, the city’s urban renewal agency, Capital City Development Corp., or CCDC, approved improvements for bikers and walkers between State and Franklin streets on the southern end by the Anne Frank Humans Rights Memorial and on the northern end of downtown by Saint Michael’s Episcopal Cathedral.
Upgrades to the southern stretch of the street include realigning the Boise River Greenbelt, improving the bike and pedestrian pathway that connects the Greenbelt to 8th Street behind the Boise Library and adding security cameras and more lighting.
The northern stretch of the street would shift from two lanes with northbound traffic to one lane, move on-street parking to a single side and add raised bike lanes, according to prior Statesman reporting.
CCDC directed $1.5 million of its budget to the northern stretch and $2.5 million to the southern stretch. Most of CCDC’s revenue comes from taxes it collects on new construction projects it supports and from the ParkBOI parking system downtown.
