Work to restore flood-damaged part of State Route 88 to begin this month after ADOT approves contract

Work is expected to begin later this month.

PUBLISHED JUL 20, 2024

The construction will focus on a segment of SR 88 east of Phoenix near Fish Creek Hill, which is to the east of Tortilla Flat.

Phoenix, Arizona: The State Board of Transportation has approved a contract with Nesbitt Contracting to restore a flood-damaged five-mile stretch of State Route 88 (Apache Trail). The project, part of a $4 million plan by the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT), will focus on the segment between mileposts 222-227 near Fish Creek Hill, east of Tortilla Flat.

Beginning later this month, the construction aims to make the unpaved highway accessible to high clearance four-wheel drive and utility terrain vehicles. The work will involve removing boulders, mitigating rockfall, installing new signage, and cleaning or replacing damaged drainage culverts.

Five miles of State Route 88 (Apache Trail) was damaged by flooding in 2019.

The construction will include

Removing boulders on Fish Creek Hill

Mitigating rockfall as needed between Fish Creek Hill Overlook and Fish Creek (mileposts 222-223.5)

Installing new signage

Cleaning and potentially replacing damaged drainage culverts

Completing other steps to safely reopen the highway for high clearance four-wheel drive vehicles and utility terrain vehicles

The section has been closed since 2019 due to flooding exacerbated by runoff from the Woodbury Fire scar. ADOT anticipates reopening the highway for limited public access by September, while seeking federal funding for extensive upgrades estimated at $33.7 million to enhance accessibility and resilience to storms.

Preparation for the project began in February, with ADOT crews removing vegetation, filling eroded sections, and cleaning culverts. All activities are subject to US Forest Service review and must comply with state and federal environmental regulations.

These five miles of SR 88 have been closed between Fish Creek Hill Overlook and the Reavis Trailhead since the 2019 flooding

Historically significant, Apache Trail was constructed during the building of Theodore Roosevelt Dam, completed in 1911. Prior to its closure, the road was used by an average of 232 vehicles daily. ADOT has been working to restore access and improve damaged sections of SR 88, reopening 1.7 miles west to Reavis Trailhead in 2022.

As work progresses, public access to the project area remains restricted. However, motorists can still safely reach Canyon Lake, Tortilla Flat, and other destinations west of the closure.