After seven fatalities in 2025, Boise continues push for pedestrian safety

Boise had seven fatal crashes involving pedestrians in 2025, with a reported 34% increase in traffic patrols. During what is deemed the “100 Deadliest Days of Summer” for traffic incidents, Memorial Day to Labor Day, there were 88 fatal crashes in the state, 23 involving motorcyclists, according to Idaho’s Department of Transportation.

Toji Sakamoto, who works at Cycle Learning Center and consistently rides his bike around Boise, said the university’s pedestrian infrastructure is “pretty good” but could see improvements in high traffic areas, such as University Ave. 

“It’s pretty good, honestly. It could be better. University Ave, going through the middle of campus and being a busy street with a ton of traffic, doesn’t really make sense to me, from the standpoint of it’s a college campus,” Sakamoto said, adding it’s challenging to navigate the number of vehicles and pedestrians. 

After 8-year-old Mora Gerety was killed on Harrison Boulevard in the fall of 2025, Councilmember Jimmy Hallyburton, known for his passion for pedestrian infrastructure, expressed commitment to continuing his work on increasing pedestrian safety.

Hallyburton is currently focused on two initiatives — a rapid-traffic calming project, which would include asphalt art and bolt-posts, and a Pathways Master Plan, a collection of bike paths and routes for pedestrians. 

During his time as Executive Director for Boise Bicycle Project, Hallyburton said a child was hit by a vehicle on his way to elementary school and stopped into the bike shop for help. The boy was fine, but the incident inspired Hallyburton to find safer alternative routes for individuals on foot or bikes. 

“We were looking to figure out what’s a safer place for this kid to get from his house to school. We looked all over the place, and there really weren’t any good routes whatsoever,” Hallyburton said. “We saw this really long dirt road that didn’t have any intersections on it, that took him almost the entire way, and it was the maintenance road for an irrigation canal. For the first time, we were like, ‘Could we use this as an actual way for people to commute on their bicycle?’”

Hallyburton and his team looked at other maintenance roads along power lines, canals and other public rights of way to discover an “off-street network” similar to the Greenbelt. 

While there are possible safety concerns of riding beside a canal, frequent bike rider Sakamoto said, “I’ll take the risk of falling into a canal over somebody texting and passing me in their car any day.”

The Pathways Master Plan focuses on two different projects this year: one on the Boise bench and another connecting Bishop Kelly, Bora High school and Bora Park.

“I’m not going to be on City Council forever, but when you approve a master plan like this, it means that the city, until somebody repeals that plan, council members will continue to build that out.” Hallyburton described the plan as similar to the Greenbelt; the route will be 50 miles long, 25 miles on either side and an additional 112 miles of pathways across the city. 

Hallyburton explained some cheap, quick fixes are asphalt art in high-traffic areas to draw drivers’ attention and bolt-on posts, which establish a barrier between vehicles and pedestrians. He explained this is not only cost-effective but also allows neighborhoods to see what works best for them, as they are easily reversible. 

“It’s not going to be perfect,” Hallyburton said of the rapid traffic calming project. “But it’s going to be better than it was until we can get that infrastructure in there.” 

Two bills passed in spring of 2025, SB 1140 and SB 1144, reduced pedestrian infrastructure in favor of benefiting drivers. “This is really bad legislation because some of the roads that were built in Boise have no business being three lanes wide. You could easily do two … then you could put more bike lanes in, better bus routes or larger sidewalks,” he said.

Although Hallyburton founded Boise Bicycle Project and is still a major supporter of the organization, he has passed the torch. Joleen Evans, advocacy and engagement lead for the organization, shared some additional high-priority items for Boise streets. 

Evans said the Advocacy Committee created Boise’s first traffic-free garden in Ann Morrison Park, which provides a car-free space for bikers as well as space to hold monthly Bicycle and Safety Hour. 

“From discussions I’ve had with bicyclists and pedestrians, there are improvements that can be made all across Boise, but I could see West Boise greatly benefiting from more pedestrian-friendly infrastructure,” Evans said. “That was made evident by hosting Open Streets Boise on Ustick Road last year.”