City moves forward with $17.5 million bond issue to improve roads & pathways
By Emilee Mae Struss
Outside of Idaho, many won’t likely know where you live if you say Carey, Bellevue, Hailey or Ketchum. Sun Valley is the town in Blaine County with the most name cache, nationally and internationally.
To keep up the high standards to meet the expectations of those who choose to reside or own homes in the glamorous little mountain city, Sun Valley Mayor Peter Hendricks said in a recent interview that City Hall will get an updated look.
“This place hasn’t been updated in over 20 years,” Hendricks said. “There are five different variations of carpeting in this building.”
On a grander scale, Sun Valley passed a $17.5 million bond issue last March for road and pathway improvements. Last summer, the city completed the redesign of the Wildflower path and some portions of the Elkhorn bike path.
This summer, the city will continue working on this project, which will impact the Twin Creeks area, Independence Creek, Parker Gulch, Syringa, Fireweed, Elkhorn Road and path, Hard Rock and Proctor.
“A lot of people drive Elkhorn Road if only to take a more scenic route,” Hendricks said. “We apologize profusely beforehand because it will be disruptive [due to construction].”
Along with the construction, the city continues the dialogue over controlling noxious weeds and chemical usage in reference to being environmentally conscious.
“We are acutely aware of the care and stewardship of the environment in our city and we are continually reviewing what we’ve done and seeing if we can do it better,” the mayor said.
This summer, travelers on Elkhorn Road may not only see orange construction signs but also e-bike usage. Sun Valley passed an ordinance that will allow electrically-powered bikes to be ridden on the bike path with a maximum speed of 20 miles per hour.
“This ordinance will be reviewable within the first year,” Hendricks said. “We like to encourage our citizens, with the average age of 59 in the City of Sun Valley, to be active and get outside.”
The city is also partnering with neighboring Ketchum to potentially consolidate fire and police departments.
“We are coming up with a plan to use our tax dollars more effectively,” Hendricks said.
A group meets weekly to discuss this topic and both city councils will vote on the matter in the coming months.
“Our council is very parsimonious as to how we spend money,” Hendricks said. “We take the charge that we spend taxpayer money with accountability and, as with all of the discussions we’ve had, the most detailed one is always the budget, and—in my opinion—as it should be.”
To learn more about the City of Sun Valley, visit sunvalleyidaho.gov.