With more than 15,000 vehicles daily traversing the Wood River Valley, traffic accidents are bound to happen. And they are more likely to occur in urban areas than rural areas.
Statistics provided by the Idaho Transportation Department reveal that the highest accident frequency during the past five years has been in the city of Hailey.
The intersection of Bullion and Main streets was ranked first by ITD in urban accident frequency from 2004 through 2008. During that time period, the intersection was the scene of 31 accidents, resulting in one fatality and seven injuries.
The fact that the intersection was rated No. 1 was not a surprise to Hailey Police Chief Jeff Gunter, who described Bullion and Main as the "busiest intersection in the valley."
Hailey held the next three spots for urban accident frequency in Blaine County. Ranked second was the intersection of Croy and Main streets, with 25 accidents during the five-year period. Third was Airport Way and Main Street, with 22 accidents, and fourth was the intersection of Countryside Boulevard and state Highway 75, also with 22 traffic mishaps.
As with accident frequency in rural Blaine County, all of the top 10 accident spots in city settings were along Highway 75, which serves as Main Street in Bellevue, Hailey and Ketchum. ITD estimates that between 15,000 and 18,000 vehicles travel the highway daily between Bellevue and Ketchum.
The next three top urban accident spots were along Main Street in Ketchum. Fifth and Main was ranked fifth, First and Main was ranked sixth, and Fourth and Main was ranked seventh.
The intersection of Elkhorn Road and Highway 75, where the borders of Ketchum and Sun Valley meet, was ranked eighth.
Coming in at No. 9 was the intersection in Hailey of Fox Acres Road and Highway 75, the scene of another traffic fatality during the five-year period.
Tenth was the intersection of Carbonate and Main streets in downtown Hailey.
Only two fatalities were reported by ITD during the five-year period at the county's top 10 urban accident locations. The fatality at Bullion and Main in Hailey occurred when a vehicle turning from Bullion onto Main struck and killed a pedestrian. The fatality at Fox Acres Road and Highway 75 was the result of an allegedly intoxicated driver colliding with a light pole.
Gunter said that most of the accidents occurring in Hailey are either pedestrian- or weather-related.
"The majority of our accidents are rear-end collisions where cars are waiting for pedestrians, or are slid into during the winter," Gunter said.
The city has taken several steps during the last five years to reduce traffic accidents, Gunter said. Stoplights were installed at the Highway 75 intersections with Fox Acres Road and Countryside Boulevard. New high-tech pedestrian lights were installed at main intersections in the downtown area and numerous yellow fluorescent warning signs have been placed in the city to warn drivers of potential pedestrian crosswalk traffic.
Also, the city recently purchased a radar trailer to advise motorists of their speeds and installed flashing lights along pedestrian walkways at Main Street's intersections with Croy and Myrtle streets.
"We try to do everything we can to alert people there are pedestrians," Gunter said.
Ketchum Police Chief Steve Harkins pointed out that the Ketchum intersections on the top 10 list are also "really busy and highly congested." He said some of the accidents are caused by pedestrians and bicyclists not obeying traffic signs or rules.
"Pedestrians and bicyclists need to be more aware of street crossing requirements, and motorists need to remember that pedestrians and bicyclists are out there and don't always cross when it's safe," said Harkins, who became Ketchum's police chief on July 1.
Harkins said his office is launching new efforts to educate pedestrians and bicyclists "about the proper way to cross."
"We're trying to step up traffic enforcement in the city to make it safer for everyone," Harkins said.
Terry Smith: tsmith@mtexpress.com
SUV hits Red Cross van
Four Red Cross workers were treated and released Tuesday at St. Luke's Wood Medical Center Tuesday after their van was struck by a Lexus SUV on Sun Valley Road. The accident occurred around 9 a.m.
Sun Valley Assistant Police Chief Mike Crawford said the Red Cross van was northbound and waiting to turn into Our Lady of the Snows Catholic Church for a blood drive when it was struck from behind by the Lexus, driven by Patricia Boyd, 59, of Ketchum. Crawford identified the driver of the Red Cross vehicle as Kara Stutzman, 23, of Boise. Stutzman and three passengers in the Red Cross van, Erik Hulme, 23, April Knapp, 25, and Delicia Dhruva, 22, all of Boise, were transported to the hospital.
"Their chief complaint was sore necks and backs," Crawford said.
The accident remained under investigation Thursday and no citations had been issued.
The intersection of Bullion and Main streets in Hailey is the most accident-prone location in Blaine County. According to the Idaho Transportation Department, from 2004 to 2008 the intersection was the scene of 31 accidents, resulting in one fatality and seven injuries. Photo by David N. Seelig
