Jared Hopkins (L) and Grangeville Mtce. Foreman Dave Fraser (C) assess the initial slide from July 3.

Hopkins stands with two of the biggest "understatement" signs in ITD history.

Shoofly around US-95 slide south of Riggins now open

For the second time in the last month, ITD has managed to open up the temporary road around the base of the slide at milepost 188 on US-95 since the first of two events blocked the only north-south route in Idaho on July 3.

Previously, the temporary road had opened to traffic on July 8, but significant movement on the slope above crews forced a longer closure.

“That closure was well timed, as within 24 hours we had a second event bring down more material,” said Jared Hopkins, who coincidentally had just been promoted to operations engineer days before the slide. “The second slide was larger than the first, completely demolishing Conex containers we had placed to shield traffic and once again burying the shoofly.”

Watch Hopkins’ interview in ITD In Motion.

As geotechnical experts reassessed the slope’s condition, ITD was able to divert traffic to Old Pollock Road, a county route across the river that had been closed for years in the aftermath of its own slide until the state repaired it.

The road went from hosting about 100 vehicles per day to suddenly being used by 2,400 vehicles per day as the US-95 detour route. The partially gravel, one-lane road could not be expected to successfully maintain that volume of traffic for too long.

“Using the county road as a detour allowed us to bring mobility back for commuters and let us focus on removing the biggest rocks from the debris field,” Hopkins said.

Before being blasted into manageable pieces last week, the biggest boulder from the July 10 event was estimated to be 42 feet wide, 50 feet long and an average height of 23 feet. That translates to more than 3,500 tons.

Watch the blasting operation.

Following blasting on Thursday and Friday of last week, crews quickly prepared the shoofly for its reopening on Monday, July 27.

“Now we’ll focus on developing final plans for slope mitigation and keeping Old Pollock Road as a viable detour,” Hopkins said. “We’d like to thank everyone who has helped us reach this milestone so far, including our own operators on the holiday weekend, Robin Freeman’s crew in New Meadows and even Headquarters' Bridge.”

For the latest on the slide, visit itd.idaho.gov and be sure to check 511.idaho.gov for hours of operations and before making any weekend plans.

Aerial of site after second slide brought down huge boulder.
Photo courtesy Chelsea Tuttle, McCall Star News

The second slide crushed large shipping/storage containers meant to hold back additional rockfall.

Published 07-31-20