For the week of March 20 - 26, 2002

Transportation planning could save Ketchum

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Ketchum needs to warm up the cold feet that set in Monday when the City Council deferred hiring a transportation planner for more discussion.

Over the next few years State Highway 75 will deliver more cars to Ketchum than it has ever seen before. Forecasts call for continued growth and unless the economy tanks, city leaders must deal with it.

The big question for the city is whether it wants to be the dog or the tail when it comes to transportation. As it stands now, Ketchum is the tail, wagged by circumstances over which it exerts no control.

A bigger highway and more cars will overwhelm the town unless it becomes proactive instead of reactive. Ketchum must try to get some control over the issue or the town as we know it could become a victim of the automobile.

The question is bigger than whether Ketchum needs a few more parking spaces.

More and more workers priced out of the Ketchum housing market will continue to live in more affordable communities in the south valley and beyond. They will continue to commute to work in the north valley every day.

Unless Ketchum wants to look like Los Angeles—the ultimate slave to the internal combusion engine—it is going to have to figure out new ways to deal with all the cars that are headed its direction.

Will it welcome them or avoid them? Will it concentrate its money on parking garages in a futile attempt to meet the need? Or will it direct KART to lead the effort for a valley-wide commuter bus system as well?

Will it prepare for the impacts of its decisions on businesses and their employees? Will it forecast impacts on visitors?

Ketchum needs to come up with a smart plan that incorporates the best ideas around. It needs a professional to assess the situation, assemble alternatives and consequences, and advise the city.

It also needs someone to sustain the city’s involvement in the design of a new State Highway 75. It needs to explore what to do about an entrance that is already the congested neck of the traffic funnel. It needs to develop a strong voice for some kind of rational highway development that won’t destroy the valley.

A lot is riding on what Ketchum does—or doesn’t do.

If the city continues to sit and wait to see what the future brings, it could be consumed by cars. Poorly organized parking could strangle downtown businesses. Too much traffic could discourage visitors with money to spend.

The city needed a transportation planner—yesterday. The money is already in the city budget. It’s no time to delay.

When it comes to transportation, the city not only needs to play defense, it needs to play catchup.

 

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