A Better Boise, Through Planning

Backed-up highways, auto pollution, and sprawl are all newcomers to Boise, Idaho, driven by a computer-chip boom that materialized over the past 10 years. But some say that the city is starting to cope with the challenges the right way, exploring transportation options and urban design before things get much worse. The Associated Press reports that Idaho's leaders are looking for a way to sustain the economic success without plowing under farm fields. Idaho Smart Growth is pushing for denser developing in downtown Boise and improved transit to the suburbs. But, the AP story suggests, the state's conservative legislature probably would not support a sales tax increase the would likely be needed to upgrade transit.