FAQ : Traffic Impacts
M3's objective is to work closely with neighbors and the Eagle community, listen well and keep the community informed about the process and progress of the master-planned community of M3 Eagle.
No, M3 is looking at several alternative roadway alignments and will present these at future public meetings. M3 is seeking traffic solutions which address residents’ concerns about increased traffic in their neighborhoods and the need to build new arterial and collector roadways to accommodate future growth in the foothills area.
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No, traffic will be phased along with the project. The traffic study looks at the traffic volumes and roadway requirements upon build-out as well as during the construction of the project. The project is estimated to take 20 years to build out and will be phased from the west (Highway 16) to the east (Willow Creek Road).
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When M3 Eagle is completed – in approximately 20 years – it is expected to generate an average of 122,645 vehicle trips per day with 10,233 trips during the morning peak hour and 12,213 during the evening peak hour. Approximately 32% of the daily traffic is projected to have origins/destinations within the project boundary.
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The commercial, office and employment components of M3 Eagle will help keep traffic within the project and lessen the impact on surrounding roadways. At project build-out, the proposed mixed land uses and other supporting services in M3 Eagle are projected to retain approximately 25% of the traffic within the community during the evening peak hour.
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The capture rate for vehicle trips generated by M3 Eagle was estimated using procedures contained in the Trip Generation Handbook published by the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) and information from the school district. M3 Eagle is planned to contain a mix of land uses including various types of residential, commercial, retail and office uses.
Schools and other support services are also planned for the community. Approximately 70% of the commercial, retail and office uses are designed to serve the internal community and neighborhoods. If such uses were not provided within M3 Eagle, residents would have to travel an average of 2 miles outside the community to get to similar existing or planned services. The remaining 30% of the commercial, retail and office uses are planned along Highway 16 and are designed to serve the region. The proposed schools are designed to mostly serve M3 Eagle.
Using ITE data, approximately 25% of the site traffic generated by M3 Eagle is projected to have origins and destinations within the community boundary during the evening peak hour at project build-out. Based on data obtained from the Joint School District #2, approximately 80% of the trips related to school activities will be internal trips with the site boundary. For an average weekday, M3 Eagle is projected to retain approximately 32% of the daily site traffic within the community.
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No. The current transportation system will need to be upgraded in any case to accommodate future growth. By 2030, traffic in our study area will meet or exceed infrastructure capacity. Build-out of Eagle's Comprehensive Plan north of the Boise River alone - without M3 Eagle - will require mulitiple transportation improvements (i.e. installation and construction of well-designed traffice signals, turning lanes, and widening of roads).
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M3 Eagle anticipates the need to provide an improved connection to Highway 16, including a temporary traffic signal. An extension of either Palmer Lane or Linder Road into the property from where they currently dead end may also be needed.
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ACHD collects impact fees as permits are obtained, but these fees are regional in nature and can be used anywhere within ACHD's boundaries, not necessarily from where they are collected from. These fees are also collected after traffic problems already exist and have not been sufficient to address all the area transportation needs. M3 believes that additional funding mechanisms need to be put in place to address future improvements to the arterial and collector roadways within the study area so required improvements are there when they are needed. M3 is working with ACHD, COMPASS, the City of Eagle, ITD, and other landowners to develop these mechanisms.
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