Welcome to Boise and Beyond’s blog series focusing on living like a local in Idaho.  If you are one of the many who have recently relocated to Boise and the Treasure Valley here are some of the best ways to fit in and acclimate to your new home.

Drive Like a Local in Boise

One of the first things newcomers notice when visiting or moving to Boise and the surrounding Treasure Valley is the ease of getting around town in a vehicle.  Boise, compared to most neighboring capital cities has relatively little traffic, and the locals pride themselves on being courteous drivers in general.  However, there are a few things that those new to the area should keep in mind before getting behind the wheel in Boise or any of the neighboring cities around Idaho.  Here are the top 5 ways to drive like you’re from Boise:

Be Courteous

This is one of the first things I noticed when moving here from the hustle and bustle of bigger cities.  We moved here from Paris, France in overcrowded road conditions, where horn honking, shouting, and waving angrily at other drivers and aggressive, fast, weaving driving is the only way to survive.  I spent years driving in Southern California and Dallas, TX where getting flipped off, honked at, and risking your life every time you merge onto the freeway is part of the daily commute.  My blood pressure immediately dropped when I started driving in Boise.  In Idaho, and even more specifically Boise locals pride themselves on following the rules of the road and looking out for fellow drivers.  You can almost always recognize someone who grew up in Idaho versus someone who just arrived by how they drive and here’s how:

• Allow Merging.  A local custom in Idaho is to slow down to allow other drivers to merge into their lane if requested with a turn signal. And speaking of turn signals, locals will almost always use their turn signals to alert another driver of their intentions on the road.
• Leave a Gap. A local will almost always leave a gap so that drivers entering the roadway from a parking lot or shopping center can easily merge into traffic.
• Don’t Honk. Have you ever been distracted at a red traffic light and missed it turning green?  If the car behind you didn’t honk, it’s most likely because they are from here, and realize we all get distracted from time to time.
• Drive the Speed Limit.  This is tough because when you’re in a hurry and come from a city where fast driving is the norm, driving the speed limit can take some getting used to.  Locals tend to drive the speed limit, and occasionally a few MPH under, but only a couple of years ago Boise was listed as having the safest drivers by  Allstate Insurance City Rankings.  In reality, driving 10 MPH faster than the speed limit in/around Boise over 20 miles saves the driver about 7 seconds.

The Stop Law

A few things in Idaho regarding traffic laws for stopping are a bit unusual compared to neighboring states.  Miscommunication and potential accidents can occur if all drivers aren’t aware of the standards that the locals tend to know.  Here are a few to be aware of when making a stop in Idaho:

• Turning Left On Red.  Yes, you can turn left on a red light in certain situations, here is the actual driving rule regarding left on a red light:  “Except when a sign is in place prohibiting a turn, a driver after stopping, facing a steady circular red signal, may turn right, or turn left from a highway onto a one-way highway after stopping.”
• Cyclists Have Different Stopping Rules.  Bicyclists are permitted to regard stop signs as yield signs and a red light is equivalent to a stop sign.  So, if you see a cyclist cruising through an intersection with a stop sign, they are allowed, as long as the intersection is clear and they clear the intersection prior to passing any other vehicles, etc.  When it comes to red lights, however, they can pass when it’s clear to do so.
• School Bus Stops.  Common sense and the law are one when it comes to passing a school bus when its stop sign is activated, DONT!  However, Idaho law does not require a driver to stop for a school bus if they are on the opposite side of the road with four or more lanes.  Stopping applies to motorists traveling in the same direction as the school bus, regardless of the number of lanes.
• Yellow Stop Lights.  In Idaho, they have a law called the Permissive Yellow Light.  This allows motorists to pass through an intersection when it is yellow, but the catch is they must be more than halfway through the intersection before the light turns red, otherwise, a citation could be issued.  Most locals tend to avoid the risk, and will almost always stop at a yellow light or arrow, even if the law allows them to pass through.

Winter Driving

Driving in snowy and icy conditions is not a daily occurrence in the Treasure Valley during the winter, but over the years Boise has been getting more and more of these storms which can impact driving in this area.  Most of the locals grew up in The Treasure Valley or in another city in Idaho and are familiar with winter driving conditions.  If you arrived from a warmer state, then here are a few things you can do to drive safely and confidently just like a local in Boise in winter:

• Defrost Those Windows.  That may seem pretty obvious, but if you’ve never driven when it’s below freezing you may be surprised how quickly the windshield and windows can fog up.  Once out on the road is not the time to start defrosting. Don’t start driving until the windows are defrosted and clean – even if you’re not going that far. It’s a good idea to keep your windshield washer reservoir filled with a non-freezing solution all winter, and if you park outside make sure to scrape off any snow or ice that may have built up overnight and then start the defrost setting before heading out.
• Slow Down. After fresh snow or due to icy roads can be slippery.  As long as you drive slowly and slow down your car at least three times sooner than you normally do when turning or stopping you should avoid slipping and sliding.  When stopping, avoid making sudden movements with the steering wheel, and gently pump the brake as you come to a stop.
• Watch for Ice.  Take extra precautions in areas that could potentially be icy, such as bridges and overpasses.  Ice may remain in those spots longer since they are exposed underneath and don’t have ground warmth.
• Be Aware of Snowplow Trucks.  Use extra caution when encountering snow removal equipment; snowplow blades force snow up and off the road, potentially causing blizzard-like conditions and reduced visibility for drivers following too closely.  It’s recommended to remain two car lengths behind snowplow trucks for every 10 mph you drive. Sand being spread by trucks can damage your vehicle, so don’t pass one of these vehicles unless absolutely necessary.

Now that you have your “Famous Potatoe” plates and your Idaho Driver’s License take a deep breath, relax and enjoy driving like you’re from Boise in one of the US’s most enjoyable places to drive.  Want to discover more about Boise and the Treasure Valley?  Download the Boise Relocation Guide and discover Boise from the local’s point of view.

Make sure to follow me,  Jennifer Louis, Boise Metro Real Estate Expert, and local relocation guide on Instagram, Facebook, or my blog for fun facts about Boise and of course a few things real estate.  (208) 509-9122 or [email protected].

Welcome to Boise and Beyond’s blog series focusing on living like a local in Idaho.  If you are one of the many who have recently relocated to Boise and the Treasure Valley here are some of the best ways to fit in and acclimate to your new home.

Fun & Funky in Boise

Boise is often known for its great outdoors and connection to nature.  It is after all nicknamed, The City of Trees, but it also has a flare for the arts and a bit of the unusual.  Here are some of the sightings around town that locals love, and those visiting may scratch their heads, curious about the backstory.  Well, scratch no more…here is a bit of insight into Boise’s fun and funky side.

Traffic Box Project

For over ten years Boise has transformed what could be boring metal traffic boxes located around the city into pieces of art.  Local artists are invited to submit their pieces of art to be selected to be wrapped around one of these boxes around town.

Boise’s pioneering and transformative Traffic Box project challenges emerging artists and established professionals to “wrap” the nondescript utilitarian devices that control our streetlights. Boise City Department of Arts and History along with other organizations commissions illustrations, paintings, digitally designed images, quilts, mosaics, photographs, and even photos of sculptures to add a vibrant and unexpected twist to the street corners and intersections of the City of Boise, according to the Boise City Department of Arts and History’s website.

Each wrap lasts anywhere from 5-10 years and then they are rewrapped.  As of 2022 there are just over 225 traffic boxes displaying art throughout the city.

Location:  All around the City of Boise

Gentle Breeze

The City of Trees honors its name with the public art piece “Gentle Breeze” located Downtown in the park at 11th St. and Idaho St.

The glistening pink tree is hard to miss and includes features that make the leaves move in the breeze not to mention its adult-size swings for people young and old to enjoy.  You’ll often see locals and office workers making their way over to the interactive art piece with a cup of local coffee.

According to the City of Boise’s Art & History Department’s Karl Le Clair, , “It presents itself as a tree on top of a hill.  Again we are looking at the same scale berm. It creates some height and a natural pedestal for the artwork to sit on. (It includes) a tree on top of the hill with swings. There are full-scale park bench swings. The tree is 23 feet high and will provide some shade in the time it takes the other trees in the park to mature.”

Location: 11th St. and Idaho St., Downtown Boise

JUMP Spiral Slide

It’s hard to miss the JUMP center in Downtown Boise but one of its more exciting features is its outdoor parking garage slide.  The five-story spiral chute was created for kids and adults who are kids at heart.

If you don’t know about JUMP you really should.  It stands for Jack’s Urban Meeting Place.  Jack is J.R. Simplot and he is responsible for Idaho is famous for its potatoes.  JUMP is an event center and meeting place and regularly hosts various events with the mission being, “a place for everyone to discover new possibilities and explore their potential.”

Next to the spiral chute is the “slide zone” a slide feat in itself and was created as a team-building event.

Location:  1000 W Myrtle St, Downtown Boise

The Boise Castle

Boise’s Castle Home is hard to miss when heading down Warm Springs Avenue.  However, the unique architecture isn’t a historical monument, but rather a local entrepreneur’s dream turned into reality.

The owner/designer said the design was inspired by French and English castles he had seen/studied over the years.  the Boise Castle broke ground in 2009 and its finishing touches were added in 2011.  It’s modern architecture with a mid-evil flare.

The 5800 sqft, 5 bedroom, 5 bath home was featured on HGTV’s Extreme Homes, a segment on a CBS News segment, and a piece for Discovery Channel’s Daily Planet. Additionally, a hip-hop music video was supposedly filmed on one of the towers.

Location: 1700 Warm Springs Avenue in NE Boise.

Those are just a few fun and funky sites you may notice while driving around Boise.  Venture outside the City to Nampa, Kuna, Meridian, and Eagle and you will spot other unique sites that make the Treasure Valley the true treasure that it is.

Follow Jennifer Louis, Boise Metro Real Estate Expert and local relocation guide.  (208) 509-9122 or [email protected]