This article will be updated when new information is available
4/7/2025
This information is from the Idaho Office of Emergency Management
Businesses Impacted by U.S. Highway 95 Closure may be Eligible for Assistance
Idaho Office of Emergency Management (IOEM) is gathering information from non-farm small businesses and non-profit organizations whose operations were disrupted by the March 16 closure of U.S. Highway 95 between Council and New Meadows due to a landslide. This information will help determine whether impacted entities may be eligible for disaster assistance through low-interest loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).
Heavy rainfall on March 16 triggered a landslide that caused several hundred feet of roadway shoulder to give way, forcing the highway’s closure. Since then, the Idaho Transportation Department has been working to safely restore access. The highway is expected to reopen in early May once repairs are completed. In the meantime, drivers are encouraged to use State Highway 55 as an alternate route.
IOEM is in close coordination with the SBA to evaluate the potential for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Program. If approved following a disaster declaration request by Governor Brad Little, the program would make low-interest loans available to qualifying small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, and most private non-profit organizations. These loans are intended to help cover ordinary and necessary financial obligations that cannot be met due to the disruption caused by the closure.
To request the declaration, the State of Idaho will need five or more qualifying EIDL worksheets from small businesses impacted by the closure. Businesses that have experienced economic losses, whether actual or estimated due to the ongoing closure, are encouraged to submit a worksheet, even if they do not intend to apply for a loan. This information is critical to demonstrate the extent of the economic impact and determine eligibility for federal assistance.
The worksheet may be found on IOEM’s website at ioem.idaho.gov/SBA. Forms can be downloaded and sent by email to jdick@imd.idaho.gov, by fax to 208.422.3044, or mailed directly to:
ATTN: Jarod Dick
4040 Guard St., Bldg. 600
Boise, ID 83705
Please note the EIDL worksheet is not a loan application; it is intended for businesses to report losses so a declaration request may be considered.
Farms and ranches are not eligible for the SBA program.
3/28/2025
Critical repairs on US-95 to begin Monday – two shifts per day to accelerate work
Full closure on U.S. Highway 95 between Council and New Meadows will begin Monday. The contractor will be working two shifts per day to expedite the repairs and minimize the closure time.
The Idaho Transportation Department has carefully considered all potential detour options, including local roads, to minimize the impact on travelers. After exhaustive evaluation, it was determined that no local routes are capable of handling the heavy traffic diverted from US-95 due to early-season conditions and challenging terrain. To mitigate disruption, ITD recently cleared snow from the Weiser River Trail, which will serve as a bypass for local pedestrians and emergency responders. This trail provides a direct route around the closure. Designated parking on US-95 will be available on the north and south side of the landslide, ensuring residents and emergency personnel can continue to navigate the area safely. Additional details will be shared with businesses and local jurisdictions as we monitor trail demand.
Beginning Sunday evening at 8 p.m., US-95 will be fully closed to all vehicle traffic due to the oversized drill rig crane taking up both lanes. Crews will begin relocating fiber optic lines on Monday, followed by the start of excavation on Tuesday for the installation of a retaining wall. The excavation will involve removing 200 feet of pavement and digging to a depth of 10 feet across a 200-foot-long section of roadway. This work is scheduled to be complete by late April or early May.
ITD has modified commercial vehicle permits, allowing 53-foot single trailers to temporarily use State Highway 55 as a detour. This modification ensures that rural communities continue to receive deliveries of goods and services during the closure. ITD is coordinating all work on SH-55, which serves as the detour route for regional traffic. Maintenance projects that were slated to begin this spring will be postponed until US-95 is reopened.
Regular updates on the roadwork and closure will be available on 511.idaho.gov, through the 511 app, or by calling 511. ITD remains committed to restoring US-95 as quickly as possible while minimizing the impact on local communities and businesses.
3/26/2025
The weight limit for vehicles traveling near the slide area has been increased to 26,000 lbs., up from 10,000 lbs. This change will remain in effect until Sunday’s closure.
3/26/2025
Equipment to be mobilized to US-95 landslide, full closure set for Monday
Equipment is being mobilized to begin permanent repair work on the U.S. Highway 95 landslide located between Council and New Meadows at milepost 146.5, about ten miles north of Council. Workers have been on-site since the hillside gave way last Sunday due to steady rainfall.
A full closure of US-95 to all vehicle traffic will be implemented starting Sunday evening at 8 p.m. Until then, flaggers will direct local non-truck traffic through one narrow lane during daylight hours, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. After the closure on Sunday evening, the road will remain closed, as the contractor’s equipment will require both lanes for earthwork removal and wall installation.
On Monday, crews will begin excavation of a 200-foot-long, full-width section of the roadway, digging to a depth of 10 feet. Once excavation is complete, construction will begin immediately. The repair project will include a retaining wall, which will be anchored by steel piles driven into the stable rock layers of the slope. The highway is expected to reopen in early May once the work is completed.
There are no local detours that are passable this early in the season, and no local routes suitable for the impact of highway traffic. The Idaho Transportation Department has modified permitting for commercial vehicles to allow companies to safely operate on SH-55 to continue delivering goods to rural communities. This temporary exception allows 53-foot single trailers to use SH-55 as a detour for now.
ITD is working with emergency responders to ensure uninterrupted service for all areas. ITD is also working with local jurisdictions to identify potential alternatives for local workers to get past the US-95 closure.
For 24/7 updates on the status of the highway, visit 511.idaho.gov, download the 511 app or call 511 for updates on this closure.
3/21/2024
ITD modifies permitting for commercial vehicles on US-95 to ensure continued delivery of goods
In response to restrictions placed on U.S. Highway 95 between Council and New Meadows following a landslide on Sunday, the Idaho Transportation Department has modified permitting for commercial vehicles to allow companies to safely operate on State Highway 55 and continue delivering goods to rural communities.
The temporary exception allows 53-foot single trailers to use SH-55 as a detour for now. Given the narrow and winding conditions on SH-55, only certain combinations of trucks and trailers are typically allowed.
Drivers should expect more traffic on SH-55 with the current restrictions on US-95 and expect commercial vehicles to potentially slow down or stop near the Rainbow Bridge as they will be directed via signage to yield to oncoming traffic.
For 24/7 updates on the status of US-95 and SH-55 visit 511.idaho.gov, download the 511 app or call 511 for updates.
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3/20/2025
One lane temporarily open for local traffic only through US-95 slide near Council
One lane of U.S. Highway 95 is now temporarily open at the slide at milepost 146.5 north of Council. This lane will only be for local traffic and only open during daylight hours between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. until contractor equipment begins work next week.
The highway will fully close each night as crews will only visually monitor the route during daylight for slumps or cracks that could indicate another slide.
Commercial vehicles will not be allowed on the route to avoid the narrow road. Flaggers in New Meadows and Council will direct these vehicles to turn around. The Idaho Transportation Department is working on modifying the permitting process to allow for commercial vehicles to take State Highway 55 instead. Drivers should expect to see more trucks on SH-55 and practice patience.
The engineering team is reviewing data from foundation drilling yesterday and are expecting a design of a retaining wall by Tuesday that will be anchored by steel piles driven into the stable rock layers of the slope. This data will tell the team where and how deep to drive the steel piles, and land surveyor data collected the last few days will identify the full size of the slide for wall length and height design.
ITD has a prime contractor at the ready and will be working simultaneously with the design team to secure materials and any subcontractors prior to the repairs starting next week.
There are no local detours that are passable this early in the season and able to withstand the impact of highway traffic.
ITD will issue another update next week once the design for the repairs has been completed and future impacts to traffic are better known. Drivers may not be able to pass through the slide area once repairs are underway given the size of equipment that will be on site. The highway will likely be impacted through late April.
Workers have been on scene since the hillside gave way on Sunday following steady rainfall.
For 24/7 updates on the status of the highway, visit 511.idaho.gov, download the 511 app or call 511 for updates on this closure.
US-95 remains closed between Council and New Meadows
U.S. Highway 95 remains closed between Council and New Meadows due to a few hundred feet of downhill landslide of the roadway shoulder at milepost 146.5 along the Weiser River on Sunday afternoon following steady rainfall.
Engineering crews were on site this morning to assess the extent of the damage for repair decisions, and a drill crew will be on site tomorrow morning to investigate soil and slide information for a possible retaining wall.
“We aim to have one lane opened at some point this week, but just for cars,” District Engineer Jason Brinkman said. “We are concerned about allowing wider, heavier commercial vehicles on this narrow area until the repair work is complete.”
Regional traffic is encouraged to take State Highway 55 as no traffic is allowed through the landslide location. Only people who live between Council and Glendale south of the slide and between Pine Ridge and New Meadows north of the side will be allowed to access those areas. All other drivers are being turned around at the barricades in Council and New Meadows.
This particular area was already being monitored by the Idaho Transportation Department for storm damage concerns.
“These natural weather events are nearly impossible to predict,” Brinkman said. “Fortunately, given this season of storms, we are ready to respond and expedite this project.”
Download a photo of the slide.
Getting the highway back open fully could take weeks. Motorists should visit 511.idaho.gov, download the 511 app or call 511 for updates on this closure.