The portion of the 1890s alternative Evans Riceville Road that was previously closed by the landowner has been reopened, according to Cascade County Public Works.

The county intends to use the 1980s alternative Evans Riceville Road for public use while repairs are made on the current road, built in the 1960s, where the road slide occurred.

The county is posting regular updates on the project here.

The current roadway remains closed due to safety conditions created by the slide in early June after significant rainfall.

County staff reviewed historical records and available information to determine that the 1890s alternative road was not abandoned and remains a county road open to the public.

Evans Riceville remains closed, county working on repair plan; residents concerned about emergency, winter access

The county hasn’t yet responded to a question regarding how and why the road was previously closed.

“Travelers are urged to use extreme caution when using the alternative route. The road may have conditions that differ from a regularly maintained roadway, and motorists should drive according to current road and weather conditions, remain alert, and use appropriate caution at all times. Motorists may also need to watch for cattle on the road,” according to county public works.

The county is working to repair the slide area, but due to the technical nature of the repair, road construction may take several months or longer, according to public works.

Les Payne, county public works director, told The Electric that he signed a contract with TD&H Engineering on July 30 for surveying work in the area, which was needed to proceed with the project regarding the right-of-way and road layouts.

Payne said due to timing and the contract amount, it didn’t need to go before the County Commission.

TD&H was the sole respondent to the county’s request for qualifications for engineering services, according to the county.

Earlier this week, subsurface drilling and related field investigation work was done, including drilling in the roadway to determine existing subsurface conditions for evaluation and design of the project.

Now that the survey and drilling are completed, Payne said he’s bringing a contract to commissioners at their next meeting for engineering services and design.

Story continues below this map of the alternate route.

Payne said the county is moving quickly to repair the road while ensuring safety for travelers and following procurement rules.

A portion of Evans Riceville Road has been closed since June 4 due to a road slide caused by heavy rainfall in late May and early June.

Public works officials determined that a complete closure of the road was necessary as they continued to observe movement in the soils below the roadway and new cracks in the driving surface.

The slide area is about four miles west of Highway 89 and county officials reduced the road to one lane on June 1.

Evans Riceville Road closed indefinitely due to slide

Due to unstable ground conditions, unknown subsurface movement and potential further slides, county officials determined in early June that maintaining one lane of traffic on the road was an “unacceptable safety risk.”

Liz Moultray lives on the closed section of Evans Riceville Road.

She contacted The Electric and sent a letter to County Commissioners in July about the impact of the road closure.

Moultray said that checking the mail takes an hour and 12 minutes one way, compared to 10 minutes normally, with the closure.

The drive to Belt, where her children and others on the closed section attend school, has doubled from 30 minutes to an hour one way.

“School starts in late August; families and the Belt district need to know now whether this road will be open, because a parent making the school run twice a day is looking at up to four hours of driving,” she wrote in her letter to commissioners.

Joe Gaylord, Belt Public Schools superintendent, told The Electric earlier this month that the closure affected several families and they were working to provide them with transportation reimbursement agreements to offset the cost of the additional miles.

Gaylord said school officials were keeping in touch with the county on the road repair progress and hoping it would move quickly.

Moultray said emergency response from the Highway 89 side is cut off and response crews have an extra half hour to reach every home past the slide, which she wrote to The Electric, is “a real safety gap with no end date.”

Winter is a looming concern, Moultray wrote, and said the Stockett-side route drifts badly and can be marginal even with plowing. If the repair slips past fall, residents could face stretches with no reliable access, she wrote.

Les Payne, county public works director, told The Electric in late July that county officials understand the concerns of the affected residents as the school year approaches.

“We recognize the impact this has on students, parents, and the school district, and we appreciate everyone’s patience as we work through this process,” he said via email.

Evans Riceville Road restricted to one lane due to slide

He said the county is committed to moving the project forward as quickly as possible and making progress this year, but there are several factors influencing the overall schedule, including the engineering process, contractor availability, weather conditions, and other unforeseen circumstances.

Payne said due to those factors, he can’t yet provide a definitive timeline for reopening Evans Riceville Road, nor does he have a cost estimate yet.

“Please assure the families that restoring Evans Riceville Road remains one of Cascade County Public Works’ highest priorities, and we are committed to moving the project forward as efficiently and responsibly as possible,” Payne said.

Payne told The Electric in June that Evans Riceville Road is a heavily trafficked road for access to Sluice Boxes State Park and is also a Malmstrom Air Force Base missile road.

Payne said there’s a missile site about a mile past the slide, and he discussed the closure with base officials.

Since it’s a missile road, Payne said he’ll also ask the Air Force to contribute to repair costs.

For additional information, contact Cascade County Public Works at 406-454-6920.

*Cascade County Public Works photo