CASTLEFORD, Idaho (KLIX) – A heavily used road that closed in early February because of flood damage has reopened to through traffic.

Balanced Rock grade, which closed Feb. 9, has been repaired and reopened on Monday, said John Zamora, director of the Buhl Highway District.

“We’ve mitigated the problem,” he said.

Flood waters in February caused the closure of Balanced Rock grade in Castleford. The road reopened on Monday. (Photo courtesy of John Zamora)
Flood waters in February caused the closure of Balanced Rock grade in Castleford. The road reopened on Monday. (Photo courtesy of John Zamora)
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The road is frequently used by dairy trucks and other machinery. Its closure caused travelers to use an alternate route, causing more demands on their time. Some passenger vehicles used the road even after it closed, but that was a concern because of the danger it posed.

There are other problem sites in the county, said Twin Falls County Commissioner Terry Kramer, but Balanced Rock grade was a concern because it didn’t look damaged.

“The road looks fine but 15 to 17 feet of shoulder have been washed out,” he told News Radio 1310 on March 1. “There’s other damage along the whole road, but the major damage is where it drops off to Balanced Rock Park.”

Kramer organized a meeting earlier this month with Castleford residents affected by the road closure. It was a successful meeting, he said, but there still are problem roads in the county – River Rock Road, for instance, a portion of which was washed out because of flooding.

It will be a while before that road is repaired, Kramer said, noting that travelers who normally use it for work purposes now have to take detours, adding about 45 minutes to their drive.

Zamora said he’s confident that the grade, which was repaired by the Buhl Highway District and contractor Nix Excavating Inc., is better now than it was before the damage.

“We’re very certain we’ve mitigated the problem and made the road even better than it was before,” he said.

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