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Mudslide closes part of highway in Methow Valley

State Highway 153 just west of Pateros along the Methow River was partially blocked by a mudslide on Friday. (Washington state Dept. of Transportation)
State Highway 153 just west of Pateros along the Methow River was partially blocked by a mudslide on Friday. (Washington state Dept. of Transportation)
By Mike Prager mikeprager15@gmail.com(509) 459-5454

Three new mudslides in north-central Washington and North Idaho added to the problems Friday for motorists in the Inland Northwest.

U.S. Highway 95 was closed Friday afternoon due to a mudslide south of Bonners Ferry, according to the Idaho Transporation Department.

The Washington state Department of Transportation said that a mudslide on state Highway 153 has partially blocked the roadway three miles west of Pateros in Okanogan County.

Debris was strewn across the roadway on Friday morning following the latest rainstorm. Traffic was being allowed through the area on one lane in alternating lines of vehicles.

A second new mudslide was reported on state Highway 20 about 10 miles west of Okanogan. The highway was partially blocked and vehicles were being allowed in alternating single lines of traffic early Friday, state officials said. The location is seven miles east of Loup Loup Pass.

Then, a second mudslide in the area caused a full closure of Highway 20 on Friday afternoon.

The two slides came as other highways in the region have been blocked or damaged as a result of heavy precipitation so far this year.

State Highway 31 between Ione and Metaline in Pend Oreille County remains closed and a contractor is heading to the site to clear an unstable clay slope which has been a hazard for the past few weeks. A detour for lighter vehicles is available on Sullivan Lake Road.

In Idaho, state Highway 3 at Black Lake on the east side of Lake Coeur d’Alene is undergoing repairs for damage to a water-soaked road bed.

Also, state Highway 5 between St. Maries and Plummer has a temporary detour around a slide that occurred there last month.

Back in Washington, U.S. Highway 395 northwest of Colville is still blocked by water over the roadway from a swollen creek there. Detours are available.

Another mudslide earlier this week collapsed part of the access road to Porcupine Bay campground on the Spokane Arm of Lake Roosevelt north of Davenport, forcing closure of the road for an undetermined time.