Rockslide forces road closure on Idaho State Highway 55 near Smiths Ferry
The Idaho Transportation Department has closed State Highway 55 between Smiths Ferry and Round Valley Road following a rockslide.
The road will remain closed until further notice, according to ITD. Travelers are advised to use U.S. Highway 95 as an alternate route between Valley County and the Treasure Valley.
Construction crews headed to the area on Sunday to begin work on reopening after Saturday’s rockslide.
”Geotechnical experts will assess the stability of the hillside and determine how to reopen the route safely,” a news release said.
This marks the third rockslide in the past year near Rainbow Bridge, located about 20 miles from Cascade. A different section saw a November rockslide that closed the highway for 18 days. Another occurred in March along the same stretch of highway.
ITD has been working on a project in the area to expand the road since September 2020. It is expected to be completed this fall. The area is a popular route for those traveling between the Boise and McCall and Cascade areas.
Updates on the ongoing situation can be found at itdprojects.org/id55smithsferry.
This story was originally published January 23, 2022 at 1:24 PM.
