Highway 36 Expected to Reopen to One-Way Traffic Thursday Near Swimmer’s Delight
Aerial photo of the slide on Route 36 taken Thursday, June 5
Caltrans District 1 announced that Highway 36 is expected to reopen to one-way traffic this Thursday, following a long closure due to an ongoing major slide east of Swimmer’s Delight near Grizzly Creek Redwoods State Park that claimed the life of a roadworker a month ago. The reopening announcement comes after three days of nonstop work involving ground crews, fallers, and two helicopters.
More than 100 logs have been cleared from the unstable slope, and while hazards remain, officials say the highway is now on track to partially reopen—barring any unforeseen complications.
The emergency response included assistance from Columbia Helicopters, whose Chinook aircraft was diverted from a planned Alaska deployment to help lift debris from the slide area. Caltrans praised the skilled work of local fallers and loggers who operated under hazardous conditions to stabilize the hillside and prepare it for limited traffic.
Once the road is reopened to one-way travel, Caltrans crews will continue working on long-term slope repairs and the construction of a catchment area designed to prevent future blockages.
Route 299 remains the only state highway detour through Humboldt County until Highway 36 is cleared for broader access. For the latest updates, visit QuickMap or use the QuickMap app.
Join the discussion! For rules visit: https://kymkemp.com/commenting-rules
Comments system how-to: https://wpdiscuz.com/community/postid/10599/
Great news…
Did the Chinook have a the red white and blue painted on the underside? I saw one like this fly over the 299 this morning.
That looks like a $100,000,000 fix is needed…
Be safe out there…
Nice Shithook…
What kind of traffic control will be used at one lane road area?
Like Last Chance Grade at one point (well, several times) with a light?
There was something like that a couple of years ago a few miles west for Bridgeville. I don’t remember what they were doing but there was definitely a light.
I was just going to ask the same, is it before 8am, noon and after 5pm? Is it 30 minute wait? I need a long shopping day but had to cancel because of the Red Flag so if I am eating potatoes another couple days I’d like to know what to expect
I’m not being sarcastic, but if you have flour, salt, and an egg you can switch it up a bit and make gnocchi (a potato pasta).
I happen to be making some tomorrow, as I seem to have bought a bunch more potatoes than I need.
https://www.loveandlemons.com/gnocchi-recipe/
I have russets, but other recipes call for waxy potatoes like Yukon Gold.
This from the District 1 PIO
“When traffic resumes through the slide area, travelers should expect one-way traffic with delays. Even over the holiday weekend, when no active construction is scheduled, vehicles will be escorted through the area in small groups, typically 10 vehicles at a time, crossing one or two at a time, in the interest of safety. So the delays will be dependent on traffic volumes and challenging to predict, but a 30-minute delay is a decent estimate during that time frame.”
The best news of the day. I have my fingers and toes crossed hoping the road will be open. Even if I have to stop for a short delay, it is not going to wreck my day. A big THANK YOU to all the men and women who have worked their butts off to make our dream come true. Be safe everyone and enjoy the ride!