KAMIAH – Motorists traveling the popular Selway River Road (NFSR 223) should be prepared for delays of one to two hours beginning Monday, July 31, as repairs continue on a rock and debris slide area approximately one mile from the road’s junction with U.S. Highway 12.
According to Moose Creek District Ranger Ron Tipton, the delays will occur between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. Monday-Friday. While inconvenient, they are necessary to ensure public safety while Debco, a contractor for the Kidder-Ridge Highway District, resumes repair activities associated with the landslide. The work is expected to last from six to eight weeks.
During the repair work, traffic control measures will be implemented. Actual delay times and durations will vary depending on safety conditions.
After this phase of repair work is completed, the damaged road section will be repaved.
Repairs to this road segment have been ongoing for a year. The problems began July 15, 2022, after a torrential downpour triggered a massive rock and debris slide that covered the Selway River Road. For a long period of time, the road was unpassable, creating access challenges for landowners and recreationists who use the popular route. Repairs have been slow and methodical due to the amount of rock and debris that had to be removed and concerns about slope stability.