Construction on a new gate that will provide limited access to Table Rock Mesa is set to begin this week.
City officials made the announcement Monday. The gate will be on E. Table Rock Road at the intersection of N. Alta Via Court.
The Idaho State Historical Society is responsible for maintaining the site, but closed the parking area atop Table Rock last summer because of ongoing safety issues such as vandalism, illegal parking, trespassing, drug use, setting fires, violence and littering.
The parking area, Table Rock Mesa and the hiking trail that begins near the Old Idaho Penitentiary are managed by ISHS under an agreement with the Idaho Department of Lands.
An advisory committee was formed to address concerns of public safety, traffic and damage to public and private property in the area. Homeowners in the area have been working with government entities to come up with a solution.
The City of Boise and the Ada County Highway District determined that the best option is a gate, which will be operational in the beginning of April 2021. The gate will be open from sunrise to sunset to allow for limited vehicle parking. There is no vehicle access at the top of the mesa.
Visitors can continue to access Table Rock at the two trailheads – the Old Penitentiary trailhead and the Mesa Trailhead adjacent to Warm Springs Golf Course.
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