IDAHO, USA — An 11-mile stretch of State Highway 21 (SH-21) will be closed, effective Wednesday at 4 p.m., due to increased risk of avalanche activity.
The Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) announced the closure on Jan. 17. The department said there are roughly 70 avalanche-prone areas along the closed section.
The stretch of highway will be closed from Grandjean to Banner Summit due to an incoming storm that is expected to produce rain and snow, which ITD said is likely to trigger avalanches.
Due to the closure, ITD advised motorists to plan ahead and use an alternate route.
For travelers commuting between the Treasure Valley and Stanley, transportation officials suggest the following: Travel east on Interstate 84, exit in Mountain Home at Exit 95 to U.S. Highway 20 and then head north on State Highway 75.
The ITD avalanche crew monitors the snowpack along the SH-21 section in order to forecast and predict the activity of avalanches that are large enough to pose a risk to the roadway.
Avalanches can be triggered without warning. ITD officials said, for that reason, there is no parking or stopping within the closed section of the road during the winter.
The department said the highway will reopen when the snowpack has stabilized, and avalanche risk has subsided.
To find updates on road closures and openings, visit the 511 website.
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