EDITOR'S NOTE: ITD has reportedly decided to delay the project until after Labor Day Weekend.

STORY AND PHOTO BY KAREN BOSSICK

Like this week’s traffic jam caused by pothole patching at Elkhorn Road?

It’s about to get worse—just as school resumes.

On Monday and Tuesday, Aug. 19 and 20, the Idaho Transportation Department will repair Main Street Ketchum between Serenade and First Street.

That will involve the closure of the southbound lanes of the highway. Southbound traffic will be detoured through Ketchum, leaving Highway 75 at Sun Valley Road and navigating to Serenade Lane via Third Avenue. The traffic will rejoin the highway at Serenade Lane.

The detour will take place between 7 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. both days.

The good news is that we will no longer have to swerve to avoid potholes as we leave Ketchum. Nor will we have to tiptoe around potentially ankle-breaking potholes as we cross the street between the Argyros Performing Arts Center and the Limelight Hotel!

The Idaho Transportation Department hopes to complete work on northbound and southbound lanes of Highway 75 between mileposts 118 and 132 by the end of August.

If it’s not completed by Labor Day Weekend, work will be shut down for the holiday and resume the first week of September.

ITD area foreman Brad Lynch said the workers are fixing areas that saw substantial damage over winter.

“This should improve the driving experience for motorists throughout the Wood River Valley,” he added.