Idaho 21 closure will come sooner than expected due to safety concerns
Update: The Idaho Transportation Department will close Idaho 21 north of Grandjean starting Thursday, Oct. 2, as rainstorms head for the area. The department sent an updated release stating that there are safety concerns on the road because of the recent landslides. ITD still expects to reopen the highway by Wednesday, Oct. 8, the release stated.
The original story is below:
The Idaho 21 highway north of Grandjean will be closed starting early Tuesday morning, Oct. 7, as the Idaho Transportation Department repairs damage from an August mudslide over two days.
That portion of the highway will reopen by 6 p.m. Oct. 8, according to an ITD news release.
The mudslide covered that section of Idaho 21 on Aug. 26 after heavy rainstorms hit the area. A year prior, the area had also experienced significant wildfire damage from the 2024 Wapiti Fire, making the area ripe for a mudslide.
ITD said the mud plugged an existing culvert, which diverted Canyon Creek to the east side of the highway. The creek has been flowing along the highway shoulder and eroding the road.
Crews will install a 6-foot culvert across both lanes to restore the creek to its natural channel. According to the department, the new culvert will be able to handle potential overflow during future floods.
The department said floods and high-water events are likely because of the wildfire burn scars in the area.
“This emergency repair is absolutely vital,” ITD operations engineer Michael Garz said in the release. “Closing the highway for two days allows crews to complete the culvert installation safely and quickly, minimizing long-term impacts and preventing a potential longer closure later.”
To see updates on traffic conditions and road closures, visit ITD’s 511 website.
This story was originally published September 30, 2025 at 1:50 PM.
