6/16/2006
Alternative for SH-75 Project and FEIS chosen
SHOSHONE - The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has identified the preferred alternative for transportation improvements to SH-75 between Timmerman junction and Ketchum, the Idaho Transportation Department announced. The selected alternative is based on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS), comments received on the DEIS, and agency analysis and coordination during the past three months.
The approach selected by ITD and FHWA is summarized below and will be further described in the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) and subsequent Record of Decision.
Alternative 3A is the preferred alternative. Alternative 3A consists of the physical roadway section along with vertical and horizontal geometry contained in Alternatives 2 and 3 between US-20 and Elkhorn Road, and the HOV elements of Alternative 3, provided that:
o The agencies in the Wood River Valley commit to continued development of transit plans achieving increased transit service levels assumed in the DEIS.
o The community, through its transit planning process, works to develop park-and-ride lots and improved transit stops.
o Public awareness programs are developed to educate and publicize the future implementation of HOV lanes on SH-75.
Transportation demand management (TDM) strategies are important to the successful operations of an HOV lane. FHWA and ITD encourage the Wood River Valley to consider additional TDM programs in conjunction with implementing HOV lanes. Examples of TDM include preferential carpool parking, vanpool programs, subsidized transit passes, and other activities to market, educate, and encourage HOV use as assumed in the DEIS impacts analysis.
ITD will commit to create a SH-75 Corridor Operations Management Team composed of representatives from Blaine County, KART and the cities of the Wood River Valley and will enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with the Corridor Operations Management Team to implement peak hour HOV operations, as described under DEIS Alternative 3, when the following conditions have been met:
o A minimum constructed segment of roadway, from at least Ohio Gulch to Elkhorn Road, has undergone improvements to its cross section and geometry as per Alternatives 2 and 3.
o Development of an interim implementation plan to determine corridor configuration and operations during interim construction phases until the minimum operating HOV segment is in place.
o A change in State legislation is in place to enable enforcement of the HOV lane restrictions.
o A plan for and the basis for funding of the enforcement of HOV, of education and marketing of the HOV operation, and of collection and analysis of performance data have been developed and agreed upon among the Idaho Transportation Department, Blaine County, KART and the Cities.
o A formal process for evaluating the HOV operation, and for making a determination of whether to continue or discontinue its operation, is developed and agreed upon between ITD and Blaine County. The first review would occur no sooner than 6 months following commencement of HOV operation. This process would include consideration of goods movement, travel time for all users, public response, HOV compliance, enforcement costs, HOV lane usage, and crash analysis.
ITD will commit to continue working with each of the Cities of Ketchum, Sun Valley, Hailey and Bellevue to help determine, fund and implement SH-75 traffic calming and pedestrian improvements within their cities.
The transportation department and federal highways are preparing the FEIS. The FEIS will evaluate the preferred alternative determination, respond to comments received on the DEIS, document commitments and mitigation, and summarize the DEIS pertaining to federal regulations as described in Title 23 of the Code of Federal Regulations Section 771.127. When released, the FEIS will be made available for public comment for a period of 30 days.
For more information see the Web site - itd.idaho.gov/getinvolved/d4, choose Idaho 75 Timmerman to Ketchum, email the project managers at chuck.carnohan@itd.idaho.gov or atkins@pbworld.com or call 886-7823 or (801) 288-3227.