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Flooding results in temporary emergency road
closures |
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December 23, 2015 |
Increased rain and warmer temperatures during
the past week have resulted in flooding causing
significant road damage on the Bonners Ferry and
Sandpoint Ranger Districts. Temporary emergency
road closures are in place on Forest Service
Road (FSR) #314, the Boulder Creek Road, at mile
post 14 on the Bonners Ferry Ranger District to
the Montana state line and on FSR #419,
Lightning Creek Road, located on the Sandpoint
Ranger District, between mile post 7.5 to the
junction of FSR #275 at mile post 18.0.
These roads are temporarily closed for public
safety as flooding has washed out large sections
of these roads and significantly damaged some of
the bridges. Lightning Creek receives the
highest precipitation in the state, an average
of 90 inches per year. "Fixing these roads is a
high priority for the Forest," said Forest
Supervisor Mary Farnsworth. "I recognize the
high level of public interest in keeping these
roads open, but the risk to human safety is too
great to allow for any use until repairs can be
made."
The roads will remain closed until they are
repaired. The Forest Service will be working to
repair each of these sections as quickly as
possible. A timeframe for repairs has not yet
been identified and is dependent on road repair
funding availability.
All persons traveling forest roads should do so
cautiously. It is likely that additional road
and bridge damage will be discovered, and
further emergency closures may be needed to
provide for public safety and prevent additional
damage. Before venturing into the forest,
visitors are encouraged to contact their local
Forest Service office for the latest information
on forest road conditions. |
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