Wednesday, December 6, 2006

Sheriff?s office increases patrols on Highway 75

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By TERRY SMITH
Express Staff Writer

If you think you're seeing more police vehicles lately along state Highway 75, you're right.

With the advent of cold, wintry weather, the Blaine County Sheriff's Office has increased its patrols on the highway to help maintain an orderly flow for the more than 30,000 vehicles that traverse the highway between Hailey and Ketchum each day.

"Our concern is basically to keep the roads safe," said Lt. Ron Thornton. "We're out there all year around, but during the winter months we try to hit it harder."

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Thornton said the sheriff's office is able to increase its presence on the highway during the winter months because more officers are available. Many remote roads become snowbound during the winter, freeing up manpower for highway patrols.

He said Idaho State Police also increase their patrols along Highway 75 during wintry months.

Thornton said the highway is heavily traveled nearly all day everyday. Some 14,000 vehicles pass through Bellevue northbound each day, he said. The number of northbound vehicles increases to 16,000 between Hailey and Ketchum.

About the same number of vehicles are seen headed southbound later.

"What goes up, has to come back," Thornton said. "When people see us out there, they drive better."