At about 3 a.m. on the morning of Thursday, January 16, a rockslide dumped multiple boulders onto the road in Johnson Canyon, damaging or destroying parts of the roadway.
Photos via Kane County Roads.
Per Kane County Roads Director Bert Harris, “I went immediately to assess the situation and get machinery there as soon as possible. We were able to move the large rocks from the road with several pieces of equipment; however, due to the force in the weight of the boulders, the road was damaged pretty severely in one little section. Trying to keep the traffic flowing, we covered the big holes and damaged road with road base temporarily until we can find a company that is making Hot Mix Asphalt so we can better repair the road. I expect those repairs to happen next week if we can find the material.
“With regards to the rest of the road, at County Commission direction, I had an assessment performed of what the road needs and an assessment of costs, which total over $5 million to make it perfectly like new.”
Work on the road continues as crews identify priorities for short-term repair and long-term planning. Says Harris, “There are sections of the road I feel need some substantial work and other parts that just need to be resealed. Depending on funding, I feel that we can prioritize parts of the Johnson Canyon Road for a major overhaul and then other parts just for the resealing of the road. I would agree due to heavy truck traffic on that road now that it is a high priority for maintenance.”
Individuals driving or walking past the slide area are warned to show caution in the area, pay attention to sudden shifts in wind or precipitation that could dislodge further slide materials.
