GRANDJEAN. IDAHO — When it comes to driving State Highway 21 (SH-21) from Boise to Stanley, you'd better check with Mother Nature before putting the pedal to the metal.
In August, a series of downpours caused a mudslide that closed the road for multiple days.
The landslide also filled an existing culvert, causing Canyon Creek to run along the shoulder of the highway, resulting in ongoing erosion that threatens the structural integrity of the highway.
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In order to redirect the creek into its natural egress, the Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) will complete "emergency repairs," including the installation of a six-foot culvert underneath both lanes of travel, next week.
As a result, SH-21 will be closed north of Grandjean from October 7 at 7 a.m. until October 8 at 6 p.m. to give road crews room to finish the work.
ITD operations engineer Michael Garz called the repairs "absolutely vital," adding that the repairs will allow the highway to avoid future weather-related closures.
