Residents push for traffic control at Warm Springs and Millbrook Way Intersection

BOISE, Idaho — This southeast Boise neighborhood is growing every day. There are new schools, new homes, and access to open space, which is why Harris Ranch neighbors want to see safety improvements at this busy intersection.

(Below is the transcript from the broadcast story)

I'm your neighborhood reporter Jessica Davis at Warm Springs and Millbrook Way. With constant speeding, a fatal wreck, and heavy pedestrian use, residents want to accelerate a roundabout project planned for this intersection.

"I haven't noticed a lot of speeding, but it is a relatively fast-paced road," says one neighbor, who didn't want to state her name, but says she uses the intersection daily to walk her dog.

Harris Ranch residents use the Warm Springs and Millbrook Way intersection in Southeast Boise every day.

The intersection is between two schools and right next to The Green Belt.

Some neighbors hope ACHD will speed up a project to transition the intersection into a roundabout in order to improve safety.

That same resident says, "I think that we need something for traffic control because people will get backed up and impatient and perhaps try to dart across before it's safe."

ACHD tells me a roundabout is currently in their five-year plan with an estimated design by 2029. In order to accelerate the timeline, the ACHD commission would need to meet with the Boise City Council about priorities. Dyan Bevins is the deputy director of projects for Ada County Highway District. I asked Bevins if ACHD would be able to accelerate the project as soon as 2026.

Bevins says, "It would be possible to start design in 2026. But then it's about a year for design and there's not a lot of right of way that needs to be required if any. This roundabout was planned with this development. If there is a right of way, that usually takes six to 12 months as well and then you have your construction— so typically about a three-year process."

In the meantime, ACHD is considering two temporary solutions to improve safety: a four way stop, and changing the enhanced pedestrian crossing to a pedestrian hybrid beacon that would include overhead traffic lights that go from yellow to red.

Bevins says, "we're in the process of looking at site distances, measuring the speeds, looking at the volumes of cars, looking at the cross traffic and turning movements. And then we can do the analysis and make quick decisions."

As for neighbors nearby, it's about improving the walkability of the area, where growth shows no signs of slowing down.

The neighbor we spoke to, says, "if there's more parks— there's more foot traffic and I don't know... it seems like the problem is going to get bigger before it gets smaller"

The joint meeting with ACHD and Boise City Council leadership has not been set, but it will be open to the public for residents and neighbors.