Yes. The Idaho Transportation Department's SH-75 project between Elkhorn Road and River Street has been delayed to 2027, and a 26-day closure of Elkhorn Road began July 13, 2026, adding 15 to 60 minutes to commutes between Ketchum/Sun Valley and Hailey/Bellevue. If you're touring homes, timing a listing, or weighing a move between the north and south ends of the valley, this construction should factor into your decision — but it doesn't have to derail it.
If you've driven Highway 75 in the last few weeks, you already know: this is not a minor inconvenience. It's a multi-year, $28.5 million project widening the highway to five lanes with a center turn lane, rebuilding the Trail Creek Bridge, and adding a new signal at Serenade Lane. What was supposed to wrap up in 2026 has been pushed to 2027 because of weather and utility relocation delays, and Elkhorn Road itself just went through a second closure phase — 24 hours a day, from July 13 through August 7 — to rebuild the intersection where it meets SH-75.
For buyers and sellers, that timeline matters more than it might seem.
Why this is a real decision point, not just a traffic story
We're hearing about this constantly right now, from buyers touring homes and from sellers wondering whether to list before or after the disruption clears. Some residents have reported morning delays of 15 minutes to more than an hour on the SH-75 corridor, which runs between Bellevue, Hailey, Ketchum, and Sun Valley. Sun Valley and Ketchum's city councils have both formally asked ITD for extended construction hours just to speed things along.
That's not background noise. It's the kind of thing that shapes:
- Showing schedules. If you're touring properties on both ends of the valley in one day, you need real buffer time, not the drive times Google Maps assumed six weeks ago.
- Listing timing. If your home is in Hailey or Bellevue and your target buyer pool includes people relocating from Ketchum or Sun Valley, a rough commute is a talking point you want to get ahead of, not ignore.
- Long-term value assumptions. A road project that's temporarily inconvenient in 2026 is a road that's wider, safer, and better signaled in 2027. That's worth knowing if you're buying with a longer hold in mind.
What's actually happening on the ground
Here's the short version of where the project stands as of this run:
- Widening to five lanes. SH-75 between Elkhorn Road and River Street is being widened to two lanes in each direction plus a center turn lane.
- Trail Creek Bridge rebuild. This is one of the larger structural pieces of the project and a contributor to the extended timeline.
- New signal at Serenade Lane. Once complete, this should ease some of the current merge and turn conflicts drivers are dealing with.
- Elkhorn Road intersection closure. The most recent closure phase runs July 13 through August 7, 2026, closing about 750 feet of Elkhorn Road at its intersection with SH-75, 24 hours a day. Residents inside the work zone still have access to their homes, and an emergency coordinator is on-site throughout.
- Revised completion: 2027. ITD has been direct that weather and utility relocation are the main drivers of the delay, and that the Elkhorn Road and Serenade Lane intersection work specifically may not wrap until the 2027 construction season.
If you're weighing a purchase in Elkhorn or anywhere along that corridor, it's worth asking your agent for the current phase status before you tour — the closure schedule has already shifted more than once.
Should you wait to buy or sell until construction is finished?
Almost never, and here's the honest reasoning, not just reassurance.
For buyers: Waiting a full year for a road project doesn't line up with how most people actually buy in this market — inventory is limited, and the right property in Ketchum, Sun Valley, Hailey, or Bellevue doesn't wait for construction crews. What you can do is build the current commute reality into your decision. If daily drive time between the resort core and the south valley matters to your day-to-day life, tour at the times of day you'd actually be driving, not just when it's convenient to see the house.
For sellers: If your property sits in Hailey or Bellevue and your buyer pool skews toward people currently based in Ketchum or Sun Valley, address the commute directly in your listing story rather than hoping buyers don't notice. A straightforward note about the 2027 completion timeline and the improved five-lane corridor that's coming can turn a temporary negative into a "getting in before it's finished" argument.
This is exactly the kind of question we walk buyers and sellers through before they write an offer or set a list date — because the right answer depends on your specific timeline, your tolerance for the current commute, and where in the valley you're looking.
Alternatives while construction continues
You do have options besides sitting in traffic:
- Mountain Rides. Blaine County's fare-free transit system runs a Valley Route connecting Bellevue, Hailey, Ketchum, and Sun Valley, which can be a real alternative for some trips during peak construction hours.
- The Wood River Trail. This paved, multi-use path runs more than 20 miles and connects the same four communities — useful for anyone who can bike part of their commute in warmer months.
- Flexible showing windows. If you're actively touring, ask your agent to build extra time into the schedule rather than assuming pre-construction drive times still apply.
What this means if you're weighing Ketchum versus Sun Valley as a home base
Buyers comparing a Ketchum home base to a Sun Valley or south-valley option are already thinking hard about walkability, ski access, and daily errands. Add current commute reality to that list. If your work, school runs, or regular routine cross the construction zone, that's worth weighing the same way you'd weigh HOA fees or lot size — it's a real cost of a specific location, not a dealbreaker for the market as a whole.
The bottom line
SH-75 construction is a real, current disruption — not a rumor and not exaggerated. Elkhorn Road is closed through early August, delays are running well beyond normal, and the full project won't wrap until 2027. None of that changes whether Sun Valley, Ketchum, Hailey, or Bellevue is the right fit for you. It just means the timing conversation needs to include construction reality, not just interest rates and inventory.
If you're thinking through how this affects your specific search or your listing timeline, we're happy to walk you through what we're seeing on the ground right now. Reach out anytime.
Frequently Asked Questions
When will the SH-75 construction project be finished?
The Idaho Transportation Department now expects the SH-75 widening project between Elkhorn Road and River Street to be completed in 2027, after weather and utility relocation delays pushed it past the original 2026 target. The Elkhorn Road and Serenade Lane intersection work specifically may not wrap until the 2027 construction season.
Is Elkhorn Road closed right now?
As of this writing, yes. A second closure phase began July 13, 2026, and runs through August 7, closing roughly 750 feet of Elkhorn Road at its intersection with SH-75, 24 hours a day, while crews rebuild the intersection. Residents within the work zone retain access to their homes.
How much longer is my commute because of the construction?
Some residents have reported morning delays of 15 minutes to more than an hour along the SH-75 corridor between Bellevue, Hailey, Ketchum, and Sun Valley, depending on time of day and how close you are to active work zones.
Should I delay buying or selling a home until the construction is done?
Most buyers and sellers shouldn't wait a full year for a road project, especially in a market with limited inventory. Instead, factor current commute realities into your search or your listing strategy, and revisit the math once the five-lane corridor and new signal are complete in 2027.
Are there alternatives to driving through the construction zone?
Yes. Mountain Rides offers fare-free transit with a Valley Route connecting Bellevue, Hailey, Ketchum, and Sun Valley, and the Wood River Trail provides a paved, multi-use path across the same communities for anyone able to walk or bike part of their trip.
About Stevenson Real Estate Group
The Stevenson Group has decades of experience in Sun Valley, and use that historical knowledge to help long-time and new clients achieve their real estate goals. Selling everything from remote mountain lodges in the Sawtooths to luxury estates on the Big Wood River to starter homes in the South Valley, Gayle, Matt and team consistently get the job done like few other agents or teams in the market.
