More work needed at Moon Pass rockslide site
The hillside near the road where a rockslide wiped out the road over Moon Pass. Additional work to stabilize the slope will begin next month.
Courtesy photo
WALLACE — Additional work is needed to stabilize a section of Moon Pass that was buried beneath a rockslide over a year ago.
Jessica Stutzke, Shoshone County Public Works director, said the project has reached its construction, engineering, inspection and sampling phase.
The project has been 100% funded through emergency dollars with no cost falling on Shoshone County. The funds were secured through state and federal agencies including the Local Highway Technical Assistance Council, FHWA and FEMA.
GeoEnigineers and HMH Engineering will tag-team the project, which is expected to begin in May and take about two months to complete. This cooperative effort will satisfy the federal requirements that came with the emergency funding.
In June, two months after the slide, Gov. Brad Little declared the slide a state emergency in an effort to secure funding. Former President Joe Biden signed off on the major disaster declaration, which allowed the county to secure federal emergency funds.
Later that month, St. Maries-based contractor Danielson Logging and Rock cleared the 10,000 cubic yards of debris from the slide and the road was opened for the season June 27.
Moon Pass, which connects Wallace to the southern region of Shoshone County, including areas like Avery, Calder and Clarkia, is usually open for travelers in late May to early June. However, that may be delayed as the work is completed.