ST. GEORGE – Drivers headed to Page and the Lake Powell area this Labor Day weekend will have another option when the Arizona Department of Transportation opens the newly paved Temporary U.S. Highway 89 route, U.S. Highway 89T, on Thursday, albeit with some restrictions.
The former Navajo Route 20, known locally as Coppermine Road, runs parallel to U.S. Highway 89 from The Gap to LeChee and is accessible on U.S. Highway 89, approximately 17 miles north of the U.S. Highway 160 junction, Tuba City exit.
While the 27-mile paving operations have been completed, U.S. Highway 89T remains an active construction zone as crews continue to install right-of-way fencing along the corridor, which has a large amount of livestock.
Until fencing is complete, and except for local residents, U.S. Highway 89T will be open during daylight hours only and there will be a 25 mph speed limit in place. When construction is complete, the speed limit will be raised and nighttime restrictions will be lifted.
When traveling on U.S. Highway 89T, ADOT urges motorists to slow down, pay attention to their surroundings and be aware that this roadway is prone to animal crossings.
Immediately after the U.S. Highway 89 landslide, ADOT set an alternate route along U.S. Highway 160 and state Route 98, but the 115 mile long route created a heavy burden for drivers because it was 45 miles longer than the direct route. With the restricted opening of U.S. Highway 89T, however, the U.S. Highway 160-to-state Route 98 detour route may still be a faster option for drivers.
U.S. Highway 89T is not part of the ultimate solution to repair U.S. Highway 89, which has been closed north of Bitter Springs and south of Page since Feb. 20 due to a landslide that buckled pavement along the mountain slope in the Echo Cliffs area.
After an extensive geotechnical investigation of the U.S. Highway 89 landslide, ADOT’s proposed solution is to move the travel lanes away from the active landslide and construct a gravity buttress to stabilize the area. The projected $40 million repair is expected to take more than two years to complete, and will include significant environmental and right-of-way clearances prior to construction.
Visit ADOT’s latest blog to learn more about US 89T, which also has downloadable maps and links to related videos and other project information.
Resources
- Printable PDF of U.S. Highway 89T detour to Page, Lake Powell
- ADOT Project Hotline: 855-712-8533 | Email: [email protected]
Related posts
- US Route 89 near Page, Ariz. closed indefinitely
- ‘Geologic event’ breaks apart Highway 89 near Utah-Arizona border
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