At least one possible change may be made in the planned improvements to state Highway 75 because of an idea Sun Valley City Councilman Nils Ribi proposed to planners of the $110 million project that would extend from Timmerman Hill to Ketchum.
During an open house Thursday for Wood River Valley residents to inspect the project plans, Ribi huddled with land-use and visual consultant Mark Vlasic to suggest the intersection of Highway 75 and Elkhorn Road be redesigned to become an eye-appealing, first-impression gateway to the cities of Sun Valley and Ketchum.
Vlasic, of Parsons Brinckerhoff, the company helping the Idaho Transportation Department develop the project, seemed impressed with the idea and promised to include the gateway concept in final reviews of the plan.
Ribi was one of some 170 persons who showed up for the five-hour open house at the Blaine County Senior Center in Hailey. The presentation featured long strips of aerial photos the length of Highway 75 tacked along display walls with proposed changes sketched in.
According to a spokesperson for ITD, of those, 32 made comments on paper forms, while another 26 recorded comments about the project.
The ITD spokesperson said contents of the written and taped comments could not be disclosed until they become part of the "public record."
Written comments will be accepted by ITD until Feb. 24, by mail to Ms. Gwen Smith, ITD, 3311 West State St., Box 7129, Boise, ID 83707.
One of those at the open house, Bob Redfern, of Hailey, said that the speed limit between the northern city limit of Bellevue and the city of Hailey should be reduced from the current 55 mph to 35 mph. Redfern said noise from an expanded highway would be louder at 55 mph and impact residents of the nearby Woodside residential area.
Another consultant at the open house, Chuck Green, said that adding a High Occupancy Vehicles lane seemed to get divided reviews from visitors he met—about 50-50 for and against two HOV lanes.
He said several residents also suggested designing "roundabouts," which are circular intersection structures that take the place of left turn-right turn intersections and tend to prevent delays.
Brent Anderson, co-owner of Dean Tire on Highway 75 in McHanville, south of Ketchum, seemed resigned to his business being acquired to make way for the new road. He said he would look for land farther north toward Ketchum for a new location, with financial help from the Federal Highway Administration.
Ketchum City Administrator Ron LeBlanc, who remained at the open house for the full five hours, also said HOV lanes were supported by people he met.
LeBlanc said he heard no outright objections to the plan, and most visitors at the open house were more curious about what effect, if any, the expanded road would have on their property.
Diana Atkins, a representative of Idaho Transportation Department consultant Parsons Brinckerhoff, right, explains to Hailey resident Lars Hovey aspects of ITD's plan to expand. Photo by David N. Seelig
