Products, Services, and Data
Communities in Motion 2050
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Public Outreach and Participation
Communities in Motion 2050 was developed between January 2019 and December 2022. The planning process is described below.
The final Communities in Motion 2050 plan is available here: https://cim2050.compassidaho.org/.
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A lot can change in 30 years.
Will self-driving vehicles be the norm? Will home deliveries eliminate the need for shopping malls and parking lots? Will we be able to commute between Caldwell and Boise by train?
One of COMPASS’ main jobs is to look up to 30 years into the future to plan the transportation system needed to support the Treasure Valley – Ada and Canyon Counties – in the long term.
COMPASS is working on an update to the current long-range transportation plan — Communities in Motion 2040 2.0 — and will extend the horizon year to 2050. Communities in Motion 2050 is scheduled to be complete by December 2022.
Work on Communities in Motion 2050 began in 2019 and continued through 2022. The planning process was divided into three phases. Public engagement in support of the planning process is described under “Public Participation.”
Explore: Develop goals; assess what is likely to change in the Treasure Valley by 2050 and the impact of those changes. (2019 – 2020)
- Communities in Motion 2050 goals and objectives approved by the COMPASS Board of Directors (December 2020)
- Performance measures and targets approved by the COMPASS Board of Directors (October 2021)
Choose: Develop a preferred future land use scenario and the transportation system needed to serve it. (2020 – 2021)
- High-capacity transit “locally favored” option approved by the COMPASS Board of Directors: regional rail on the Boise Cut Off alignment (June 2021)
- Communities in Motion 2050 Vision (preferred transportation and land use scenario) approved by the COMPASS Board of Directors (August 2021)
- Complete Network Policy approved by the COMPASS Board of Directors (December 2021)
Prioritize: Identify funded projects and prioritize unfunded needs to achieve the needed 2050 transportation system, and analyze the consequences of unfunded needs. (2021 – 2022)
- Communities in Motion 2050 funding policy approved by the COMPASS Board of Directors (October 2021)
- Communities in Motion 2050 project prioritization process approved by the COMPASS Board of Directors (February 2022)
- Communities in Motion 2050 short-term budgeted and long-term funded projects approved by the COMPASS Board of Directors (April 2022)
- Communities in Motion 2050 project priority rankings and unfunded project priority lists approved by the COMPASS Board of Directors (June 2022)
- Communities in Motion 2050 implementation policies approved by the COMPASS Board of Directors (June 2022)
Public Participation Opportunities
Coupled with analyzing trends and technical data, we have asked YOU – Treasure Valley residents – to help paint a picture of what the future holds, so we can plan a transportation system to support that future.
We asked for your input at multiple points during the planning process. An overview of what we asked and links to what you told us is below.
Summaries of all responses were shared with the COMPASS Board of Directors following each participation opportunity, before decisions were made.
What we asked |
When we asked it |
How we used what you told us |
How do you see your future…?
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September/October 2019 |
Your responses helped COMPASS build realistic “scenarios” for what the Treasure Valley could look like in 2050. We asked you to provide feedback on those through the "Where Do We Grow From Here?" survey, below.
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What is important to you as you look toward the Treasure Valley in 2050? What do you think about potential different future “scenarios” for the Treasure Valley? Do they align with what is important to you? Would you support policies needed to implement those future scenarios? |
June 1 – July 11, 2020 |
Your responses helped COMPASS select a preferred future “scenario” for what the Treasure Valley could look like in 2050 -- the Communities in Motion 2050 Vision. We then used that preferred scenario as the basis for planning the future transportation system. |
If the Treasure Valley were to build a high capacity transit system (e.g., a train or bus rapid transit), what features are most important to you? |
Your responses helped COMPASS select a “locally favored” option for future high capacity transit service. |
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What do you think of the draft Communities in Motion 2050 plan? |
September 16 - October 16, 2022 October 25 - November 8, 2022 |
Your responses helped COMPASS finalize the Communities in Motion 2050 plan, which was adopted by the COMPASS Board of Directors in December 2022.
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Communities in Motion 2050 Studies and Tools
Multiple studies and planning tools are being conducted and developed to inform Communities in Motion 2050. These provide in-depth analyses of specific topics addressed in the plan, and include:
Fiscal Impact Analysis (Consultant: TischlerBise)
COMPASS has developed a tool to analyze the fiscal impact of different growth scenarios and plans on regional and local jurisdictions – essentially, it helps answer the question of “how could different types of future development impact my community’s budget?”
The tool was developed in phases. Phase I focuses on regional scale analyses, and was used to evaluate the fiscal impact of four growth scenarios for the Where do we grow from here? public survey to help develop a growth and transportation vision for Communities in Motion 2050. Phase II focuses on more community-level analyses and is being used to provide input to local agencies on the fiscal impact of development proposals or plans on agency budgets. Learn more about COMPASS’ fiscal impact analysis tool.
COMPASS updated a 2009 Treasure Valley High Capacity Transit Study. The update provides background information from the 2009 study, combined with the most currently available data, to refine a list of potential high capacity modes and alignment alternatives recommended for further assessment. The study also provides an outline of next steps to advance a preferred alternative toward implementation. Link to study.
Park and Ride (Consultant: Walker Consultants)
COMPASS led a regional park and ride study that resulted in a park and ride plan for the Treasure Valley. Find the study here. The plan included strategies for locating and servicing park and ride lots throughout the region to best support transportation modes beyond single-occupancy vehicles, such as transit, vanpools, carpools, biking, and walking, to create a more mobile and connected future in the Treasure Valley. Learn more.
Rails with Trails (Consultant: Alta Planning + Design)
A Rails with Trails Feasibility and Probable Cost Study was conducted to estimate the cost of trail development along the Boise Cutoff rail corridor and identify barriers associated with trail development. This will prepare the region to work with Union Pacific on a preferred right of way alignment, finalize the design, and secure funding. Link to study.
Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan
Specific funding is provided by the Federal Transit Administration to assist in meeting the transportation needs of older adults and people with disabilities. Projects funded with these funds must be derived from a locally developed Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan (or “Coordinated Plan”). COMPASS is updating the current 2014 Coordinated Plan, which will allow Valley Regional Transit to continue planning, budgeting, and implementing coordinated transportation services throughout the region. Learn more.
For more information, contact Liisa Itkonen at 208/475-2241.