For the week of January 2 - 8, 2002

Buses mean bucks

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It’s time to quit complaining and do something about highway congestion.

Traffic is like the weather. Everyone complains about it, but no one thinks anything can be done about it—except to build more lanes and choke the valley with asphalt.

Rideshare’s Beth Callister has a better idea. She’s hatched a plan in which three private commuter buses would run a morning route from Bellevue and Hailey to Ketchum and Sun Valley between the hours of 6 and 9 a.m., and return south between 4 and 6 p.m.

An annual pass costs $600. Two local companies have already purchased the first 100 passes, and 80 more must be sold.

So, why would anyone want to inconvenience themselves by riding the bus?

It’s simple: a lot of money.

The cost of commuting from the south county to a job in the north county is estimated to be in the neighborhood of $2,500 a year, more if it’s a big truck or SUV. The smart commuter who chooses to use the bus instead of commuting by car will save an estimated $2,000 a year on car expense.

Think that’s not enough? Invested over five years at 5 percent, the savings would become $11,300, enough to pay for a luxurious vacation or fatten the college fund for the kids.

Now we’re talkin’.

Why should any Ketchum business consider coughing up the cost of a pass? To open up parking better used for customers than employees.

Better yet, the city of Ketchum should make room in its budget to purchase passes and provide them to commuters on a lottery basis. Buying passes would be cheaper than buying property and building parking garages. Funding a certain portion of passes with public money would also spread the burdens and benefits fairly among downtown businesses.

The city of Sun Valley should also participate because its residents utilize scarce parking resources in Ketchum daily, and it is home to the valley’s largest employer.

Sun Valley Company and St. Luke’s Hospital have already agreed to purchase 50 passes each. It’s a wise move for companies whose many employees have to run the Highway 75 logjam every day.

Callister and Rideshare have the right idea. They’re not waiting for some kind of grant before addressing the traffic problem head-on. They’re showing some private-sector moxy.

Businesses, employees and the cities should help make this program fly by calling 788-RIDE or 725-0963 and snapping up the remaining passes. It’s a good deal.

Imagine the highway with 180 fewer cars a day. Imagine downtown Ketchum with 180 open parking spaces. Imagine 180 people arriving at work relaxed instead of steaming with a case of road rage.

Nice.

 

The Idaho Mountain Express is distributed free to residents and guests throughout the Sun Valley, Idaho resort area community. Subscribers to the Idaho Mountain Express will read these stories and others in this week's issue.