[joe bartels]

The site says "Please buckle up"

[Dschur]

SR87 Landslide Update

"Crews are working today to excavate the earth slope where the landslide occurred in an effort to flatten and stabilize the slope. This excavated material is being hauled away from the scene. When we finish that excavation we will know better how to address the pavement repair."

Reporters and photographers must stay out of the construction zone.

At this time, ADOT is not, repeat, IS NOT, making any announcement as to projected opening date for that section of State Route 87. We are not guessing Monday, as previous media reports have stated.

Here are the facts as we know it:

ADOT in cooperation with DPS has closed State Route 87 between SR 188 and the Bush Highway for safety reasons
The closure is the result of a land slide from an earthen slope adjacent to the highway
The land slide near Slate Creek (milepost 224) has caused sections of the pavement to buckle
ADOT does not have an anticipated date of reopening SR 87, previously known as the Beeline Highway
ADOT has engineers on site to assess what actions can be taken to safely reopen the highway
ADOT is working in cooperation with the Tonto National Forest to identify ways to stabilize the earth slope
Motorists are being detoured by using US 60 and SR 188 through Globe, or via Interstate 17 and SR 260
Motorists can dial 511 for roadway information; or the website at az511.com
We appreciate the understanding of motorists as they take detours to travel between the Valley and Payson area during this holiday weekend.
Attached are several photos which show the SR 87 landslide area from the air. These photos provide a much different perspective on the problem and the complexity of the potential solutions. I have also included some photos from the ground that were taken some distance away from the roadway.

Please credit the Arizona Department of Transportation; for the shots from the air, please credit ADOT/AZDPS. Even if you don't directly use them, we would hope that these better illustrate what occurred on the scene, and why safety is such a concern.

Also, please reiterate the detours for motorists; you have been very helpful in that matter. The closure and detour info is the same and we are not predicting a re-opening date; repeat, ADOT is not predicting a re-opening date.

We would also like to say thanks to DPS, Gila County Sheriffs and the U.S. Forest Service who are working very closely with us.

Land Slide

[Dschur]

ADOT reopens State Route 87 after landslide Thursday, March 27, 2008

The Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) today has reopened State Route 87. The highway was closed in both directions Friday after a landslide created unsafe conditions in the Slate Creek area (milepost 224). Drivers will travel through a work zone with one lane in each direction and a reduced speed limit as they pass through the area affected by the landslide.

"Our team has moved quickly since the landslide to make State Route 87 safe for motorists and restore this critical link between Northern Arizona and the Phoenix area," said ADOT Director Victor Mendez.

The decision to reopen State Route 87 was made after thorough inspections, removal of unstable soil and assessments by ADOT engineers who have been at the site of the landslide since it occurred. The northbound lanes have been determined to be safe for drivers, meaning one lane in each direction will use this side of the highway to pass through the Slate Creek area.

Motorists will travel through a two-mile long construction zone with one lane in each direction. The speed limit on State Route 87 will be reduced to 45 miles per hour through the work zone. Motorists must slow down and drive safely through the work zone.

After touring the construction zone with ADOT engineers, Payson Mayor Bob Edwards said, "I witnessed first hand how fast ADOT is working to safely restore this section of highway which is vital for Payson's economy."

The landslide caused sections of the highway's southbound lanes to buckle and shift, creating unsafe driving conditions. In cooperation with the U.S. Forest Service, ADOT will keep this side of the highway closed for an extended period while construction crews excavate and flatten the slope where the landslide occurred. Crews also will reconstruct the southbound lanes damaged by the landslide.

Driver safety continues to be the first priority for ADOT. As the highway reopens, crews will continue to monitor the roadway and slope for additional movement or other safety concerns. ADOT will monitor pavement and soil movement laterally and vertically through GPS coordinates, 3D laser scanners and underground devices.

ADOT appreciates the patience and understanding of drivers who have been detoured between the Phoenix area and Payson during the last few days. We ask for continued patience in the coming weeks as repairs are made to State Route 87.

[hikeaz]

This is the second time in less than 5 years that that retaining wall has needed repair/replacement after it failed.
Over time, water will find its way downhill... period. If it cannot proceed OVER or THROUGH the retaining wall it will go UNDER or AROUND it, moving dirt, etc. as it does. I would offer that, potentially, subterranean water undercut the roadway either before or after the retaining wall failure.

[nonot]

Looking at some of the photos, I'm not sure if it was caused by the retaining walls. They probably didn't help...but the main fault appeared to be about a hundred feet uphill above the retain wall. The wall fell because all of the earth within a few hundred yards of it decided to migrate south for the summer.

I submit this is AZ's response to the evacuating snowbirds heading north, and that it had to restore the balance

[SuperstitionGuy]

With the increasing traffic on Interstate 17 and on State Route 87 maybe it's time for the State to consider a four lane divided highway going north from the valley between these two routes. Leave from Cave Creek or Fountain Hills maybe? This would greatly increase the safety and route options for everyone...

[Dschur]

This is the second time in less than 5 years that that retaining wall has needed repair/replacement after it failed.
Over time, water will find its way downhill... period. If it cannot proceed OVER or THROUGH the retaining wall it will go UNDER or AROUND it, moving dirt, etc. as it does. I would offer that, potentially, subterranean water undercut the roadway either before or after the retaining wall failure.

Actually it has been coming down in this area every six months or more they even had heavy dirt removal equipment parked in the area for convenience. Not the retaining wall but around it. One of the main problems is the spring the road bed is on that seeps there too. That area you could see the water coming up thru the pavement in 3 or so spots. That is why they had to close it down this winter with ice there as the water came thru it froze on the road. That whole section from the top of the pass to the really sharp corner just down hill on the Slate creek side has been settling bad recently too. There has been dips and rises all in the pavement. Also they had to add pavement to the bridge at the top of the pass because it became a bad bump from the pavement dropping about 6 inches or more on both sides of the cement of the bridge. The news almost made it sound like it was a suprise but the highway department knew.

[hikeaz]

Looking at some of the photos, I'm not sure if it was caused by the retaining walls. They probably didn't help...but the main fault appeared to be about a hundred feet uphill above the retain wall. The wall fell because all of the earth within a few hundred yards of it decided to migrate south for the summer.

I submit this is AZ's response to the evacuating snowbirds heading north, and that it had to restore the balance

Crap! Now we've got snowbird DIRT to contend with.....

[azpride]

With the increasing traffic on Interstate 17 and on State Route 87 maybe it's time for the State to consider a four lane divided highway going north from the valley between these two routes. Leave from Cave Creek or Fountain Hills maybe? This would greatly increase the safety and route options for everyone...

Somewhere on the Arizona Department of Transportation website they have a pdf file with a map of AZ and the potential freeways they want to build. I downloaded it a while back and have since deleted it, but I remember one option was parallel with the I-17, up through Black Canyon, west of Black Canyon City. Pretty interesting to look over.

[Dschur]

With the increasing traffic on Interstate 17 and on State Route 87 maybe it's time for the State to consider a four lane divided highway going north from the valley between these two routes. Leave from Cave Creek or Fountain Hills maybe? This would greatly increase the safety and route options for everyone...

Somewhere on the Arizona Department of Transportation website they have a pdf file with a map of AZ and the potential freeways they want to build. I downloaded it a while back and have since deleted it, but I remember one option was parallel with the I-17, up through Black Canyon, west of Black Canyon City. Pretty interesting to look over.

Actually that is the reallignment of I 17 that they want to do it wouldn't be a new highway but have 6 lanes and they wanted to bypass the Sunset point hill for all the traffic that gets stuck in there behind the trucks.

[Tortoise Hiker]

I went up the beeline this morning around 4:30 and came back down around 2:00. It only added a couple minutes to my time.Comming down the one lane is a uphill section so if you were behind someone slow it might cost you a few more minutes.

[Dschur]

I went up the beeline this morning around 4:30 and came back down around 2:00. It only added a couple minutes to my time.Comming down the one lane is a uphill section so if you were behind someone slow it might cost you a few more minutes.

Went to work down the beeline for the first time this week and I don't think everyone knew it was open or the people who normally commute stayed in the valley for the week. I have never seen the beeline that empty in the morning or evening. The only thing that slowed us down was going to 45 in the hill sliding down area. We went thru at 6ish in the morning and 6ish in the evening. There are lots of cops. So stick to the 45 where it says....

[azpride]

I second everything that was mentioned in the post above mine. Drove north on the beeline around 1 pm on Saturday and encountered no traffic at all and the exact same on the way back around 8 pm. BUT there are lots and lots of cops out because of all the construction and it seems everyone is really careful to abide by the speed limit.

[chumley]

In a flashback to the old days before the new road was built bypassing Sunflower, there was a Sunday afternoon traffic jam southbound on the Beeline coming up the Mt. Ord hill. About 4 miles of bumper-to-bumper as the road narrows to one-lane where the construction to repair the landslide.

I recommend anybody heading up over the next few weekends (Memorial Day?) to plan your return trip accordingly. Early or late is probably a lot better than the 4pm time frame when I was there.

Anybody know what the time line on completing the repair is? (and getting back to two-lane divided highway again).

[joe bartels]

Thought I heard on the news on Friday, it would be four days. It just caught my attention from a distance, I didn't hear the story.

[joe bartels]

Associated Press - May 16, 2008 3:34 PM ET

PHOENIX (AP) - All four lanes of State Route 87 will be reopened Tuesday south of Payson following repairs to damage caused by a landslide two months ago.

However, the Arizona Department of Transportation will need to close the highway from 8 p.m. Monday until 6 a.m. Tuesday to allow crews to remove barricades and sweep the roadway.

The highway, which is the main route between the Phoenix area and Payson, was shut down March 21 following a landslide that caused sections of the southbound lanes to buckle and shift.

The highway was reopened March 27th with one lane in each direction while construction crews made repairs.

[Dschur]

Will update tomorrow if they really do get this opened since we drive it everyday.

[Dschur]

The Beeline or Hwy 87 is now open on the south bound lanes. We drove it this morning and was on the proper side but they are still working in the area and the speed limit is 45 thru there right now. They are installing a huge retaining wall there. The beams are in but nothing else yet.

[Dschur]

The bridge area at the bush hwy 87 is coming along too. Looks like they will have all four lanes both north and south bound open for the holiday weekend. Repaved and restripped since they took alot of the road cuts and smoothed them out in that area. Still a major bump and messed up pavement right before the bridge in the north bound lanes.

[Dschur]

Well they are just about done with the new Bush Highway-Beeline Hwy 87 overpass.

ADOT would also like to update motorists on another project farther south on SR 87. The new traffic interchange at the intersection of SR 87 and the Bush Highway is nearing completion. Final paving and striping is scheduled to be completed by Aug. 8.
Construction started in September 2007 and was originally scheduled to take 18 months to complete.

The thing is right now there is no direct access to north bound 87 from Bush Hwy. You have to cross the bridge and then have to go about a mile back south bound on the beeline to a spot that connects back to the northbound lanes. There is all kinds of vehicles trying to pull out in the traffic in the high speed lane. But is already a lot better since you don't have those people trying to beat you as you are coming to the Bush hwy exit.