Traffic Advisory: Hill slide closes section of Telegraph Street in both directions

Mike Shaw, public works director for Washington City, said Tuesday afternoon that Telegraph Street is now closed between Washington Parkway and Highland Parkway because of additional movement by the slide. Washington City, Utah | Photo by Mori Kessler, St. George News

WASHINGTON CITY — Commuters who regularly use Telegraph Street will be stopped and turned around after Washington City was forced to close a section of the roadway due to movement in the hill slide that has already caused traffic delays and headaches.

Mike Shaw, public works director for Washington City, said Tuesday afternoon that Telegraph is now closed between Washington Parkway and Highland Parkway because of additional movement by the slide. The hillside moved at least six inches within the past 24 hours, he added.

A contractor is working to shore up the bottom of the hill affected by the slide and will continue the work 24/7 until the hillside is stabilized.

While Shaw said he did not know when that section of  Telegraph Street would reopen, he was hopeful that traffic could resume on the corridor road within the next day or so. Shaw said the road would not reopen until he is satisfied it is safe to do so.

Work on creating an earthen buttress designed to counteract a slow-moving slide on hillside between Washington and Highland parkways in Washington City began Tuesday. However, as heavy machery began to clear the ground at the foot of the hillside, the slide dropped 6 inches, nessitating a closure of a section of Telegraph Street until the hill is considered stabelized by city officials, Washignton City, Utah, Sept. 27, 2016 | Photo by Mori Kessler, St. George News
Work on creating an earthen buttress designed to counteract a slow-moving slide on hillside between Washington and Highland parkways in Washington City began Tuesday. However, as heavy machery began to clear the ground at the foot of the hillside, the slide dropped 6 inches, nessitating a closure of a section of Telegraph Street until the hill is considered stabelized by city officials, Washignton City, Utah, Sept. 27, 2016 | Photo by Mori Kessler, St. George News

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Twitter: @MoriKessler

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2016, all rights reserved.

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7 Comments

  • [email protected] September 27, 2016 at 8:36 pm

    A week ago Mike Shaw said the hillside was not going to move. In all your reporting I have yet to hear about the utilities in roadway, sewer, water, irrigation. I wonder if any of them are leaking

    • Avatar photo Mori Kessler September 28, 2016 at 11:13 am

      There is a follow up to the story here – http://www.stgeorgeutah.com/news/archive/2016/09/28/mgk-hillside-drops-as-work-on-sinking-telegraph-street-begins/

      There are no leaks from a water line in the slide zone. It has been capped off, as has a natural gas line. However, Shaw did mention a sewer line that runs through the area that sometimes uncopples from rest of the line and is constantly monitored and reattached. There was little concern of that causing issues as the contents are not under high-pressure as water lines are. Other infrastructure will have to be relaid under the roadway once the slide is considered stablized by the buttress and the city can tear up the street in preparation for repairs.

  • [email protected] September 28, 2016 at 8:34 am

    Thanks to Mori for staying on this subject for us. Perhaps a little more digging, in an investigative reporting mode, would confirm that Mike Shaw is out of his technical depth……….
    This problem has dragged on for at least the two years I have been here, and we are finally “digging” into the details to figure out what the underlying problem is.
    At some point the taxpayers in Washington City have to ask if they have the right guy in the Public Works job. It doesn’t take a P.E. license in Civil Engineering to see the soil is compromised……..

    • digger September 28, 2016 at 10:09 am

      Leave Mike alone, Its easy for you two armchair Engineers to Criticize. Change The channel!

  • digger September 28, 2016 at 10:07 am

    Let It Slide, Then French drain to alleviate Future movement. drill pylons into bedrock and Suspend the Roadway.
    Apply for Emergency Gov Grant.
    Then Get Over It.
    Ground Water is Higher than They Think in That area, I found it at 5Ft.Digging a Test hole.
    If you need help reply to this Post.

  • vickbill September 28, 2016 at 10:14 am

    Maybe a bridge over the bad section would be best.

  • .... September 28, 2016 at 3:32 pm

    Relocate Washington city. problem solved

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