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03:45 PM MST on Tuesday, February 24, 2004

Robbie Johnson
Idaho's NewsChannel 7

KTVB Channel 7 reporter Robbie Johnson stands in front of a massive rockslide that covered Highway 17.

GARDEN VALLEY -- Highway 17 remain closed today after a massive rockslide covered roadway Friday night. But some relief may soon be on the way.

Lt. Governor Jim Risch signed a declaration Monday that designates the road as a disaster area.

Since Highway 17 is now a county road, the governor was required to make the declarion before state money could be used in the clean up. Risch is serving as governor while Dirk Kempthorne is in Washington D.C. for a national governors conference.

The rockslide is located at milepost 25 along the Banks to Lowman road.

It will not be easy to clear off because the rockslide measures about 100 feet high and 100 feet wide.

The road literally disappeared under the rockslide; huge rocks even took out the guard rail, sending it down an embankment. Fortunately, no one was hurt during the slide.

"I don't think it would be that bad. I figured it was maybe just a little slide across the road something that a four by four could go over, but there is no road to be closed, there is just no road," said motorist Dayn Slaathaug.

Slaathaug was trying to get to Lowman, but after he saw the rockslide he decided he better turn around.

The rockslide will be a big inconvenience for people who use the road, but some are relieved it happened when it did.

"This is a mail route and a school bus route twice a day. The kids from Lowman get bused to Garden Valley and this happened on a Friday night it couldn't have been better time, late at night, not much traffic on the road," said Jim Conlin, owner of Danskin Station, a nearby restaurant.

Boise County Commissioners are frustrated no progress was made over the weekend to clean up Highway 17.

Commission Chairman Dale Hanson says the county was prepared to hire a private contractor to clear the rubble, but the Idaho Transportation Department didn't approve the plan. ITD spokeswoman Molly McCarty said the governor could issue an emergency declaration, clearing the way for the state to help the county get the roadway open quicker.

Hanson said the project may take a month to complete, but he's hoping the road will be passable within a few days. Until then, some students won't be able to get to school and drivers will have to take a major detour to get in or out of Lowman.

For updates you can call Boise County at 793-2209. Motorists heading to Lowman are advised to use Idaho 21.