ADOT in homestretch of massive Northern Arizona repair project

Almost exactly two years ago — on Feb. 20, 2013 — a landslide buckled 500 feet of U.S. Highway 89 south of Page, Arizona. A former tribal highway was paved and has since served as a temporary freeway.

However, the Arizona Department of Transportation’s Dustin Krugel said the 89 should be completely repaired and rolling again ahead of the busy summer season in Page and Lake Powell.

“We had pavement that buckled more than 6 feet on the day of the landslide — very serious damage to the roadway,” Krugel said. “It wasn’t something we could put a Band-Aid or (a) quick fix on.”

Highway workers have started building the foundation for the realigned 1500-foot section of 89. Paving comes next.

“We’re on track to reopen the highway in a couple of months,” Kurgel said. “This project was a mammoth undertaking and probably unlike any other project this agency has worked on.”