For many decades, Hill Road served Northwest Boise's farms. Now it must be adapted to serve the subdivisions growing in their place. Northwest Boise has been a rural getaway since its birth in the late 1800s. Early Boise residents who wanted some distance from the city established homes, orchards and farms in the area. Although it has grown slowly for more than a century, it has maintained a rural character.
Some residents are reluctant to see it lose that flavor.
They want to protect the peace and quiet. For that and other reasons, city planning officials believe that development in Northwest Boise will be slower than in other parts of the city. Northwest Boise begins on the east at 36th Street, stretching almost to Eagle on the west. Transportation issues are of major concern in Northwest Boise because most of the neighborhood is not within walking or biking distance of major retail centers. Two major strip retail developments serve Northwest Boise.