Who Can Save Ketchum?
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Jason Miller: What Can Save the Day?
Who or what can save the Wood River Valley? Ask ten people and you’ll get ten answers.
My answer: If you want to build community, invest in transportation alternatives. A balanced approach to transportation that includes significant investment in alternatives to the Single Occupancy Vehicle (SOV) can go a long way towards building a stronger community.
More people walking, biking, and taking the bus means less pollution, less congestion, more economic activity, and better community connections. Human powered transportation is a healthy way to move around our community without increasing traffic or emissions. Riding the bus is a great way to connect with the friends and neighbors who make our community what it is. Better streetscapes create increased activity and commerce. More pathways, bike lanes, and sidewalks enhance the value of our communities while providing more accessibility for biking and walking. Commuter vans and carpools help keep our economy chugging along by providing affordable ways to get people to jobs. Van service for the elderly and disabled means more people can stay in their homes (and in the area) while still being able to get around.
Mobility is good for all and admittedly, life in the mountains of Idaho is made possible by vehicles moving us and the goods and services we depend upon. But the good news is that Blaine County has tremendous accessibility to an array of transportation solutions that help lessen our dependence on individual cars. Over the years, we have invested in alternatives to the SOV. We have frequent, convenient, and affordable bus services that meet the needs of locals, commuters, and visitors. We have an incredible network of pathways and trails that provide mobility for walking and biking. Investments have been made in better sidewalks, pathways, and bike lanes. And there are plans for new services, like a bus to Twin Falls and a Hailey circulator, and better infrastructure, like more bike lanes, bus shelters, and pathways.
The trick going forward will be to use what we’ve got. That’s right, I said it—get out of your car once in a while and connect with your community. Infrastructure investments won't bear a return without a matching human investment. A bus system without riders, a bike path without bikers, sidewalks without pedestrians—these systems mean nothing without human involvement.
We've already committed to continuing our financial investment in alternative transportation solutions—now all we need to do is invest a bit more of ourselves by incorporating a variety of transportation modes into our daily routines. If we can do this, then we will realize the return on our investment in the form of a stronger, healthier, more viable community.
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