Small Town News
Mudslide channels traffic through Council, New Meadows
Email
Print
CopyAbout 7:00 last Thursday evening, 6,000 cubic yards of mud and debris slid down a fire-blackened hillside three miles north of Banks. Both lanes of Highway 55 and the road from 55 to Lowman were closed as a result. Recent rainstorms, combined with a steep mountainside denuded by fire led to the mudslide.
The Idaho Transportation Department advised travelers to use Highway 95 to get to points north from the Treasure Valley, and since that was the only realistic alternative, they took it.
Highway 55 traffic was added to the regular Highway 95 traffic not that long ago, due to the line of vehicles same fire that led to the going north between mudslide. Council and New Meadows on Friday night seldom let up for more than 30 seconds before another cluster came speeding through. The forklift drivers at the Tamarack sawmill probably have a few more gray hairs after waiting interminably to cross the highway.
ITD was able to clear Highway 55 by sometime Saturday, and the roar of traffic on 95 has, thankfully, gone back to normal.
More fire repercussions
Even though we have not seen major fires near Council or New
Meadows recently, we are still feeling the impact of fires in the region. The nearly 30,000-acre Weiser Fire complex along the Brownlee Reservoir west of Cambridge has prompted the closing of all roads into that area. This has caused many of the bow hunters who had chosen that area to hunt to change their plans and hunt in the Council area. Reports from locals say the Cottonwood Creek and Middle Fork areas have seen scores more hunters and hunting camps than usual.
Copyright 2013 The Adams County Record, Council, Idaho. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from SmallTownPapers, Inc.
More from The Adams County Record