30th Street Extension proposal caters to the yuppies and promotes gentrification of one of the most diverse neighborhoods in Boise
The City of Boise and ACHD are holding public meetings on the 30th Street extension this week. The clock is clicking as there are only two days left to participate. Thursday from 9-5pm at 2201 Woodlawn and Friday from 5:30-7:30pm at Madison Elementary School located at 2215 Madison.
What exactly is the 30th Street Extension? It’s an attempt to divert heavy traffic on State and 27th Street onto a wider better-engineered (30th) street that can dump traffic onto Fairview heading into downtown Boise.
However it’s not all about traffic rather it’s about changing a neighborhood. As you know Boise will soon have a whitewater park and the Ester Simplot Park right off 30th Street. These are two great amenities for Valley residents however; market pressure will cause some inevitable changes to the neighborhood. The biggest will be gentrification of the area. Currently, this neighborhood is one of the most diverse neighborhoods in Boise. There are also a fair number of affordable housing units in the area that provide much needed housing for the working class. After an hour at the Charrette this afternoon it became apparent that we could expect the demolition of older homes with replacement of larger homes and tall skinny homes. This will have an effect on the overall character of the neighborhood. Currently 30 percent of those living south of State and west of 27th to 30th Street are homeowners, 70 percent are renters. We can expect this to change. The question is do want it to change and does the City of Boise have the responsibility to address gentrification of our neighborhoods? The housing situation for the working class in Boise continues to worsen and it’s time the City Council and Mayor tackle this serious problem. They need to hear from their constituents… YOU!
On a good note, there are some items that have been identified by the neighborhood that they would like to see which include a village center and/or a Hyde Park type area as part of the extension proposal. The creation of neighborhood businesses like a coffee shop or a local restaurant does create a sense of community. We also need to make sure that roads and proposed developments provide walkable areas, promote and encourage alternative transit like biking and bus/trolley sites.
For information on the 30th Street Extension check out the City’s website at http://www.cityofboise.org/pds/
