What most locals refer to as the “blinking light” is in for a change. The blinking light is the yellow caution light on the highway at the intersection of Highway 75 and Highway 20 which is a few miles south of Bellevue. Wood River Valley residents pretty much use it as a directional icon. Go to the blinking light and turn left, for example.
This junction has been a very dangerous intersection for many years and recent accidents involving both local and out of town drivers has brought it to our attention again.
The mayors from Hailey, Ketchum and Sun Valley signed a letterto ITD (Idaho Transportation Department) asking for their immediate attention. IDT came to town and had a meeting with the powers that be. They agreed the safety concerns are real. So, in the near term they will be making the intersection into a complete four way stop with warning signs, warning beacons and rumble strips leading up to the intersection. This should help a lot although concerns have been raised that it could lead to more rear end crashes until people get used to the new stop sign.
The long term plan has not been decided and is subject to further evaluation. A full stop light or a roundabout have been part of the discussion. Time will tell and hopefully something permanent will be installed by spring. What ever you do, just make sure you slow way down and really look around whenever you’re at the blinking light. Carry on.