ADOT reacted quickly to protect the safety of motorists following a landslide on the afternoon of Friday, March 21 approximately 30 miles south of Payson. The landslide caused sections of the highway’s southbound lanes to buckle and shift, creating unsafe driving conditions.
ADOT closed the highway, detoured traffic, informed elected officials and other state agencies, and worked with news media to inform Arizonans of the road closure.
ADOT has developed a short list of the possible causes of the slide, but is still in the process of determining the actual cause. ADOT installed interim measures to get the road open to a safe condition, but is still in the process of determining whether additional measures might be required as more data is gathered and analyzed.
Construction crews began working on the slope on Saturday, March 22. By Thursday, March 27 ADOT opened one lane in either direction in a two mile construction zone near milepost 224.
On Tuesday May 20, ADOT opened all four lanes and lifted the 12-foot wide load restriction. Motorists should continue to check on highway status reports by calling 511 or viewing www.511.com, as crews will continue to work with the U.S. Forest Service to ensure proper drainage and erosion control for a few months.
“Our team moved quickly following the landslide to make State Route 87 safe for motorists and restore this critical link between Northern Arizona and the Phoenix area,” said ADOT Director Victor Mendez.
The decision to reopen State Route 87 was made after thorough inspections, removal of unstable soil and assessments by ADOT engineers.
After touring the construction zone with ADOT engineers, Payson Mayor Bob Edwards said, “I witnessed first hand how fast ADOT is working to safely restore this section of highway which is vital for Payson’s economy.” Driver safety continues to be the first priority for ADOT. Crews will continue to monitor the roadway and slope for additional movement or other safety concerns. 
ADOT’s geotechnical team visited the landslide area several times over the winter and noted there was some mud that slid toward the southbound lane of the highway. The mud did not reach the road or shoulder. A concrete barrier is still installed between the southbound traffic lane and the shoulder. The mud did not reach the concrete barrier.
Royden Construction Company of Phoenix won an award from ADOT last year for “Partnering Excellence” on the slope repair project and was awarded a new contract for 2009 which ADOT is calling Phase Two of the Slope Repair. The work began in March 2009 and includes installing additional drainage pipes and excavating and reshaping the embankments on both sides of the highway. Additional drilled shafts will be installed to prevent earth from moving toward the southbound lane as well as the construction of rock and soil buttresses along the southbound side. A retaining wall is still planned for the slope on the west side of the highway. Additional work includes erosion control and re-seeding when the excavating is complete. The contract allows 115 working days and that normally does not include weekends or holidays.
In March 2009, Royden Construction was presented with the Associated General Contractors of America's (AGC) 2008 Special Recognition Award for the “SR87 Emergency Embankment & Slope Repair Project.” Doug Pruitt, incoming president of the Washington, D.C. based AGC, said that these awards are designed to recognize construction companies for their ability to achieve a common goal, honor all stakeholders, maintain momentum, perpetuate partnering, improve communication and incorporate team building activities. |
