Businesses suffer while US 89 undergoes repairs in N. Arizona

PHOENIX — The Arizona Department of Transportation said it could be two years before repairs can be completed to U.S. 89 south of Page.

In the meanwhile,
Lynette Davault with the Page Chamber of Commerce said the area’s economy has taken a hit. Labor Day weekend, which typically does big business, is on the way. This year that’s an unknown.

ADOT said work is progressing on a shorter detour route that should be open by the end of the month.

A section of U.S. 89 near Page in northern Arizona buckled in February. A Navajo Nation tribal road that runs parallel to the highway is being paved and when it opens it will eliminate the current 115-mile detour.

“A lot of people are finding alternate routes and bypassing us a bit. Most businesses are seeing declines. We’re hanging in there,” Davault said.

She said some Page businesses have had a 20 percent drop in sales.