MERIDIAN, Idaho — The Community Planning Association of Southwest Idaho (COMPASS) held open houses in Boise and Caldwell this week to gather feedback on what community members would like to see in future high-capacity transit.
By 2050, commute times between Caldwell and downtown Boise are projected to increase by 50%, according to COMPASS. The open houses are part of the "Let's Ride Treasure Valley" study.
The study looks at 10 options where possible routes could travel primarily between downtown Boise and Caldwell using busses, a regional rail or light rail system. It also looks at what could happen if no mass transit project is put into place.
The project is in the early stages, but COMPASS Associate Planner Lila Klopfenstein said funding from the state and local level will be key to see dirt move in the future.
“This is a huge step forward in terms of the planning process. Ultimately, we're taking the planning or moving it into that first step in the environmental process, which is necessary to construct anything," Klopfenstein said. "That said, we don't have any dedicated funding to build a service like this. As many may know, the state of Idaho does not have a dedicated funding source for or funding mechanism for public transportation, so additional funding or identifying revenue sources would be needed to move this into actually, into actual construction."
The next steps in the study would look to narrow the route options based off feedback, consider potential funding sources and determine which mode would be best.
For now, COMPASS is looking for input on all the route options.
The public is invited to submit comments online through Oct. 10. Click here to weigh in on the COMPASS website.