Idaho Transportation Department

30/07/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 30/07/2024 17:10

Chip sealing and restriping to expand SH-75 to four lanes south of Ketchum




7/30/2024

Courtney Wagner
ITD Communication
208.886.7800
[email protected]

Chip sealing and restriping to expand SH-75 to four lanes south of Ketchum

HAILEY - The Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) will chip seal and restripe State Highway 75 south of Ketchum next week. The chip seal will extend the life of the roadway, and the restriping will create additional lanes to reduce congestion near Ohio Gulch Road.

The highway currently transitions from two lanes to four lanes at the signal at Ohio Gulch Road, which was activated in May. This natural bottleneck is made worse by delays caused by the signal, especially when southbound traffic peaks in the late afternoon. ITD has determined there is enough pavement width between East Fork Road and Buttercup Road to temporarily restripe the highway to include two lanes in each direction. This is intended to help with traffic flow until that section of the highway can be expanded, which is anticipated in the next two years.

District Engineer Jesse Barrus confirmed, "This interim solution is a way to make this area safer while improving mobility by significantly increasing the number of vehicles being able to move southbound through the Ohio Gulch Road intersection on SH-75."

Chip sealing and restriping will take about 2 weeks to complete barring any weather delays. While crews are working during the day, drivers should expect increased delays and traffic backups.

Given the numbers of vehicles that move through the area, even after restriping congestion will still be expected, especially near Buttercup Road where the roadway transitions to fewer lanes.

Other projects are planned to enhance safety and improve the condition of the pavement in the area. ITD will fully reconstruct SH-75 from Elkhorn to River Run starting in 2025 as well as repair SH-75 in Bellevue this year.

For more information about traffic impacts, go to 511.idaho.gov.

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