STORY AND PHOTO BY KAREN BOSSICK

Commuters already dealing with traffic delays caused by road construction south of Ketchum now have a new construction project to hurdle.

If they live south of Bellevue, that is.

The Idaho Transportation Department will begin pavement repairs on State Highway 75 through Bellevue from West Bluegrass Street to Kirtley Street on Monday, June 9, weather permitting.

Over the next three weeks, traffic will be reduced to a single lane in each direction between the hours of 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Flaggers will be present to stop traffic as needed.  

Drivers should expect intermittent delays and use extra caution through the construction area. ITD will also ensure that manhole covers and water valves through the section are level with the driving surface to create a smoother driving experience. 

These repairs were originally scheduled to be done during the Fall of 2024, but ITD did not receive any bids from contractors to do the work. So, instead, the department used maintenance forces to make the road surface suitable for winter conditions. 

While the project may lead to some teeth grinding by commuters over the next few weeks, it hopefully will end up putting smiles on motorists’ faces as Main Street through Bellevue has been bumpy enough to shake fillings out of people’s mouths.

For traffic updates, go to https://511.idaho.gov/#:Alerts.