By Reader Staff
The Western Federal Lands Highway Division is prepared to award the contract to repair the Lightning Creek flood damages in May. The repair work is expected to begin at the end of May, depending on weather and site conditions. The repairs are projected to be completed before the 2018 winter season.
A washout along Lightning Creek Road as photographed in May 2016. Photo courtesy USFS.
The Idaho Panhandle National Forests experienced a rain on snow event in December 2015, leading to flood damage in several drainages, including significant damage to Lightning Creek Road (FSR #419). The forest implemented a closure on Lightning Creek Road, between milepost 7.5 to the junction of FSR #275 at milepost 18, for public safety. The damages include the loss of four large concrete box culverts, three segments of road washouts and bridge damage. The bridge over Rattle Creek was destroyed, and the Wellington Bridge over Lightning Creek was damaged. The estimated cost of repairs in the Lightning Creek drainage is approximately $1.74 million.
The Idaho Panhandle National Forests requested Emergency Relief for Federally Owned Roads Program funding from the WFLHD in January 2016 following these events. During the spring and summer of 2016, WFLHD completed damage survey reports, and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process was completed in February.
The Forest continues assessing any additional damages caused by heavy rains or run off this spring. The Lightning Creek Road closure will remain in effect until the repairs are completed. For more information, please contact the Sandpoint Ranger District at (208) 263-5111.
While we have you ...
... if you appreciate that access to the news, opinion, humor, entertainment and cultural reporting in the Sandpoint Reader is freely available in our print newspaper as well as here on our website, we have a favor to ask. The Reader is locally owned and free of the large corporate, big-money influence that affects so much of the media today. We're supported entirely by our valued advertisers and readers. We're committed to continued free access to our paper and our website here with NO PAYWALL - period. But of course, it does cost money to produce the Reader. If you're a reader who appreciates the value of an independent, local news source, we hope you'll consider a voluntary contribution. You can help support the Reader for as little as $1.
You can contribute at either Paypal or Patreon.
Contribute at Patreon Contribute at Paypal
Coming up this week! Don’t miss out on “Get Plowed”, a Food Summit, Folk Art, and more! See the full list of events in the 
