PHOTOS BY KAREN BOSSICK

Some would say we’re in the spring season; others, mud season. Ketchum City officials say we are now officially back in construction season.

That goes not only for Main Street and the highway south of town but for Warm Springs Preserve.

The City of Ketchum closed Main Street from Sun Valley Road to Ninth Street near the Knob Hill Inn this past week as crews began a construction project between Fourth and Sixth streets. That part of the road was supposed to be done last year along with a stretch from Fourth Street to the Kentwood Lodge, but the project turned into a bigger project than envisioned because of unexpectedly poor subsurface conditions.

Ketchum Mayor Neil Bradshaw fields questions during a morning Coffee Talk at Styled Twice SV.

Ketchum Mayor Neil Bradshaw told those assembled at a Coffee Talk hosted by the city and Chamber at the new Styled Twice SV that crews hope to get the work done by July 3. Updates can be found at https://www.ketchumidaho.org/ by clicking on “Get Involved” and “Project Main Street.”

To mitigate the impact on retailers in that area, the City of Ketchum is again offering $15 coupons that locals can apply to purchases with retailers in the affected area. The coupons will be offered at the Visitor Center in Starbucks beginning Monday, April 14.

“We want locals to realize that this is a cool thing we do. They’re not going to do that in Boise or Boston or Idaho Falls. They’ll just say, ‘suck it up,’ ” said Chamber Director  Mike McKenna.

Meanwhile, Idaho Transportation Department will start their road widening and bridge reconstruction project south of town on Monday, April 14.

Ben Whipple looks on as Kerry Guggenheim and Blair Brakovich describe their new consignment store.

Construction will begin first on the northbound lanes between Elkhorn Road and Serenade Lane. There will be one lane in each direction. When crews start work on the Trail Creek Bridge, only northbound drivers will be able to cross the bridge while southbound drivers will be detoured onto River Street will they will take Second Avenue and Serenade Lane back onto the highway.

The second year of construction will address the northbound lanes of Highway 75 between Serenade Lane and River Street and the southbound side of the Trail Creek Bridge.

The two-year project involves widening Highway 75 from Elkhorn Road to River Street from two lanes to four with a center turn lane from Weyyakin Drive to Elkhorn Road. The exception will be the section between River Street and Serenade Lane where there will be two through lanes with a center turn lane.

Bradshaw said the roads have been neglected for a long time. The road running through the Wood River Valley hasn’t been a priority with Idaho Transportation, in part because of pushback the community gave the department about widening roads years ago.

The Village Market hosted the previous Coffee Talk, giving attendees a look at the ongoing remodel project at the store.

“They would rather work in a community where they get cookies,” Bradshaw said. “When this project is finished, ITD will shift north of town to Hulen Meadows so we’ll be best friends with ITD after this.”

Ketchum City Administrator Jade Riley said 10-foot wide multiuse sidewalks on both sides of the street from Serenade Lane to Garnet Street will be a priority. Power lines will be undergrounded in that area and the Trail Creek Bridge rebuilt.

Visitors staying in nearby properties during the World Cup said it was nervewracking to walk to town without good sidewalks. Right now, it’s tough to walk from Weyakkin to town, he acknowledged.

While construction of the Appellation Hotel continues, the proposed hotel across the street is not progressing at this time, said Bradshaw. Neither is the building in which Perry’s Restaurant was located.

“I think we are seeing a little slow down in the economy and growth. In a way, that’s a welcome relief. But it’s a downside, too, because we want to see Ketchum businesses succeed. This is a fantastic place so people will want to live here if they can afford it. After the World Cup more and more people are realizing this place exists,” he added.

The consensus was that the World Cup Finals that Sun Valley Resort hosted was spectacular with Ketchum and Sun Valley sure to reap an uptick in tourism from first-time visitors who now want to come back. FIS officials were “very favorable about it,” said City Communications Manager Daniel Hansen.

They were very impressed by the competition, all the community coming together. So, all indications are that they will be announcing it will be coming back,” he added.

Downtown was quiet during the day when everyone was at the bottom of Warm Springs watching the races and enjoying apres ski music. But town was bustling during evening concerts and on Monday when hundreds of spectators turned out for Wild West skijoring.

“It was a fantastic time—people were smiling, warm weather…” said Bradshaw. “It has a ripple effect, an international effect.”

Work on the Warm Springs Preserve riparian restoration, which is about to begin, will be disruptive not only to the community but dogs, Bradshaw promised. Contouring work near Warm Springs Creek and irrigation work will look like a major construction project.

The lower area where water has been turned off has become a desert said Ben Whipple, senior project manager. Once work is done, it will look like an actual preserve.

“There will always be places to walk dogs during the project,” Bradshaw assured. “In the long term it should look fantastic. After that, we’ll bring in benches, picnic tables. All of this fully funded by community, the Wood River Land Trust and a government grant.”

The city’s biggest worry right now, Bradshaw said, is how the legislative might rework LOT (local option) taxes, which are taxes resort communities place on tourist-related services like hotels to raise money to address the demand tourism places on infrastructure.

“If that comes under pressure, it could be devasting as it funds Mountain Rides, our police and so much more,” he said. “We want them to leave resort cities’ LOT taxes alone.”