Bill Betts 02-231
Christopher Johnson
From:Bill and Carol <shoestring3@msn.com>
Sent:Friday, February 23, 2018 12:06 PM
To:City Clerk
Subject:Costco development at Ten Mile & Chinden
Dear Meridian Planning and Zoning,
I’m writing to you to voice my concerns about the proposed commercial development of the SW corner of Ten Mile &
Chinden roads.
I am a resident of Spurwing Greens which has a single access located at the Chinden and Tree Farm intersection. This
intersection is already above 100% traffic capacity and is slated to expand to over 140% of capacity due to the already
approved Rock Harbor Church and Tree Farm subdivision developments.
I point this out to highlight the fact that between ITD, ACHD and the city of Meridian, there is already demonstrable
neglect of addressing traffic amounts and flows per the engineering guidelines already in place.
By Brighton’s and Costco’s own study, the addition of their development will double the amount of traffic at the Ten
Mile & Chinden intersection. They have budgeted money to help widen certain portions of both roads. On Chinden, by
connecting to the existing four lane surface to the east toward Linder and to the west to just beyond Tree Farm. On Ten
Mile, to the south until it meets the four lane at the north end of Walmart.
While those steps may appear to help, if considered in the light of actual driver usage, they are inadequate. Looking at
Chinden & Linder today going west the right lane that exists to Long Lake is used only by the few vehicles turning into
Spurwing. Virtually, all vehicles stay in the left lane from the eastern edge of the Fred Meyers Plaza and never use the
right lane except for right turns.
Given this, it can expected that the right lane from Ten Mile to Tree Farm will see the same behavior. The widening
from Long Lake to Ten Mile hopefully will see both lanes in use.
On Ten Mile, the widening from Walmart to Chinden only pushes the problem to the south. Linden carries a lot of traffic
up from the south only to dead end at Chinden. People are either turned west to Hwy 16 or east to Linder if they are
continuing north. This already existing northbound traffic is moving west to Black Cat or east to Linder using Ustick or
McMillan to avoid the Chiden/Ten Mile intersection. I know this because I do this today to avoid the traffic on
northbound Ten Mile. I see cars around me doing the same thing.
Imaging the volume of traffic doing this when the Costco/Brighten development doubles the amount of traffic.
If this development were to go forward, Costco should be required to widen Chinden out to the point that it widens for
Hwy 16 and widen Ten Mile to Ustick.
In addition, all road improvements should be mandated to be complete prior to any construction being started on the
Costco Plaza, the apartment buildings on Lost Rapid and the Brighten development to the west of Costco.
By requiring that, the construction traffic impact will be minimized in an area where infrastructure upgrades have not
kept up with new growth and lag by 5-10 years.
Regards,
2
Bill Betts
408-821-3429
3979 W Sugar Tree Dr.
Meridian ID 83646