Boise — LaHood Promotes Streetcar

August 2012

On August 22, Federal Transportation Secretary Raymond LaHood visited Boise and praised local plans for a streetcar system. According to www.boiseweekly.com, LaHood said:

"This morning, I had a chance to spend more than an hour with the mayor and his team," said LaHood. "I have committed to the mayor a team from [the Department of Transportation] to work together with the mayor on his mission. The idea of a streetcar system to connect the university community with the downtown community is a very strong vision."

In 2011 Boise was awarded a $375,000 grant to study downtown routes proposed earlier, determining how best to circulate through communities and the Boise State campus. The city matched the federal grant with $125,000 and the study should be finished before 2014.

One route under consideraton would run north from the university along Capitol Boulevard to a proposed transit center off Jefferson Street near the Idaho State Capitol. The route could also include an east-west route extending as far as 15th Street.