2020-03-05 Mike Spinosa
Please accept this comment regarding the proposed Graycliff Estates Subdivision.
I respectfully request further review and study on the impact of this development on the traffic
volume of the Harris and Kentucky Way streets. It’s my understanding that the approximately
200-unit High Density Apartment development is to have access Harris street and a light will be
installed at the Harris St/SR69 Intersection. My concerns are as follows:
1. Even if Harris street is widened- and a light at the Harris/SR69 intersection installed,
Harris street will not be long enough to contain the backup of traffic during peak
times. This could result in a backup of cars onto Kentucky Way and extended traffic
idling during the light cycle in the nearby proximity of the Oak Springs Drive residents'
back yards and the immediate home fronts of Harris Street. The result would be a
decrease in quality of life in the form of noise, exhaust emissions, trash and refuse and a
potential loss of privacy.
2. Further, I think it stands to reason that frustrated motorists will resort to altering their
route via Kentucky Way which would route them through the Oakwood Estates and
Kentucky Ridge Neighborhoods- a narrow, residential street with children, pets and
families walking on it and with a 25MPH speed limit.
3. Its my understanding that Harris Street may eventually be connected to Linder. Even
with that relief, my concern is there is nothing stopping motorists from “shortcutting”
through the Oakwood and Kentucky Ridge neighborhoods.
A 200-unit apartment complex alone has the capacity to create as many as 400 or more cars
per day. This also doesn't take into account the traffic volume from the single-family houses
proposed in this project. It's not unrealistic to conclude that motorists will get frustrated during
peak times and bypass the light at Harris/SR69 roads.
I would ask that access to Harris Road and Kentucky Way be reconsidered and the City of
Meridian make it a requirement to route all traffic out of the Graycliff Estates Subdivision through
the subdivision itself and via a light onto SR69.
An alternate plan would be to allow the Single Family portion of the development access to
Harris St and Kentucky Way but to block the Apartment complex access and force that volume
of traffic out a different way.
If emergency ingress/egress is an issue, then I would propose access be granted to Harris
street in the form of a locked emergency access gate. An example of such an arrangement can
be found in Boise- on the Warm Springs Drive/Harris Ranch subdivision where they re-aligned
Warm Springs Drive and installed an emergency access gate- thereby blocking motorists from
bypassing the intended traffic flow yet still preserving emergency ingress/egress.
Thank you for your consideration of this issue.
Mike Spinosa
532 W Oakview Dr
Meridian, ID 83642