BEND, Idaho — Drivers traveling on State Highway 55 between Horseshoe Bend and Banks should expect delays.
The Idaho Transportation Department will be working on SH-55 between mileposts 72 and 79 over the next few weeks to clear out the dead and dying trees along the highway. They started working in this sector in earlier in the summer and cleared 100 trees.
Crews will have temporary closures set up on weekdays between 8:00 am - 4:00 pm, causing estimated 30-minute delays for travelers.
Crews will not be working Fridays, Saturdays, or Sundays in order to make travel easier for weekend vacationers.
“While we’re dropping trees on the highway, it isn’t safe to allow traffic to pass underneath,” Operations Field Manager Eric Copeland said. “Crews will temporarily close the highway, remove several trees, clear the road and then let traffic through.”
Officials encourage travelers to check 511.idaho.gov for possible delays on their route before heading out.
Tree removal efforts are being performed in conjunction with the US Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management to clear dead and dying trees to both minimize risk to drivers and improve overall forest health.
ITD also told Idaho News 6 that they are digging in the trench as well to move any major rocks or large debris that could cause vehicular damage.
As the weather cools down, ITD is urging drivers to be alert while driving in snowy and icy weather.
