Car pool lane posed for Sun Valley area

KETCHUM, Idaho – The federal government has announced plans to include high-occupancy-vehicle lanes in and out of the resort area of Sun Valley.

“We’d be looking at gridlock if we didn’t look at HOV,” Rep. Wendy Jaquet, D-Ketchum, told the Idaho Mountain Express.

The HOV lanes would run about 12 miles from Hailey to Ketchum. They are part of a $100 million project to improve state Highway 75 from its intersection with U.S. Highway 20 to Ketchum, about 30 miles.

The Federal Highway Administration on Friday chose the option with HOV lanes as its “preferred alternative.” That plan has Highway 75 as four lanes through most of the Wood River Valley.

The HOV lanes would be reserved for vehicles carrying multiple passengers during peak commuter drive times. In the mornings, the HOV lane would be for travelers heading north. In the afternoons, the HOV lane would be for southbound traffic. Outside of HOV hours, the lanes would revert to regular traffic use.

Before the project can begin, money for the highway must be approved.