Portion of State Route 88 near Apache Junction closed indefinitely due to flood damage

article

Aerials of the damage on State Route 88. (ADOT)

APACHE JUNCTION, Ariz. - A portion of State Route 88 near Apache Junction is closed indefinitely due to extensive flood damage, according to the Arizona Dept. of Transportation.

Officials said heavy rain from the remnants of Hurricane Nora fell onto a burn scar from the 2019 Woodbury Fire that destroyed parts of the Tonto National Forest.

The unpaved part of the highway is closed from milepost 214 to 228, and it will not reopen until new vegetation grows that can help stabilize the area.

This isn't the first time that flooding has damaged the same area. In 2019, the remnants of Tropical Storm Lorena poured six inches of rain onto the burn scar, causing millions of dollars in damage between the Fish Creek Hill overlook and the Apache Lake Marina.

Learn more: https://azdot.gov/projects/southeast-district-projects/state-route-88-apache-trail