The State Transportation Board on Friday approved a plan to restore limited access to five miles of State Route 88 damaged by flooding in 2019.

The Arizona Department of Transportation’s $4 million interim plan is designed to restore the unpaved road to a condition that can accommodate vehicles with high clearance or four-wheel drive, as well as utility terrain vehicles, according to an ADOT release.

SR 88 closed in 2019 between Fish Creek Hill Overlook and Apache Lake Marina Road when flooding exacerbated by runoff from the Woodbury Fire scar damaged the gravel road and left a section blocked by boulders.

Flooding also damaged the drainage system, guardrail and bridge approaches and left unstable rock faces, creating safety issues and making the road vulnerable to additional damage and closures, state officials said.

In 2022, ADOT reopened 1.7 miles west from Apache Lake to restore access to the Reavis Trailhead at milepost 227.

ADOT’s interim plan calls for removing boulders on Fish Creek Hill, mitigating rockfall as needed between Fish Creek Hill Overlook and Fish Creek, making repairs to retaining walls, installing new signs, cleaning and potentially replacing damaged drainage culverts and taking other steps to safely reopen the highway for high-clearance or four-wheel drive vehicles, according to ADOT.

Work is scheduled to begin in February.

ADOT’s long-term plan for SR 88 is designed to improve “its resilience to severe weather,” transportation officials said. The recommendation calls for $33.7 million in improvements including: 

• Chip sealing throughout the five miles.
• Widening the road to 15 feet in steeper areas.
• Increasing drainage capacity to accommodate heavier rainfall. 
• Rehabilitating or repairing existing bridges. 
• Adding pullouts and other safety enhancements. 

The longer-term plan does not have dedicated funding, and ADOT is seeking federal assistance.

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