A woman was killed following a wash-out of U.S. 89 near Cameron, Arizona the evening of Oct. 3. Authorities say a French citizen was killed after she lost control on a stretch of the northern Arizona highway that collapsed from storm damage. Arizona Department of Transportation said the 26-year-old woman was driving northbound on U.S. 89 and had just crossed a section that started to give way. Troopers say she then got out of the vehicle. That is when a 40-year-old Lakeside, Arizona, man crossed the collapsed area but lost control. His pickup truck struck the victim, who was standing outside of her car. The woman died at the scene. Her two passengers have been released from a hospital. The other driver and his passenger were treated at the scene. A 15-mile (24-kilometer) stretch of U.S. 89 is closed between Cameron and U.S. 160 because of damage from heavy rains and officials say the closure likely will last several days and result in a lengthy detour. Cameron is 52 miles (84 kilometers) north of Flagstaff. The agency says repairs likely will require "an extended closure" and that alternative routes will add about 190 miles (306 kilometers) to a trip. The alternative routes are Interstate 40, State route 87, State Route 264 and US 160. Drivers are advised to avoid taking local roads, which may be unpaved or damaged by the storm.<doc-sep>While the investigation is ongoing, AZDPS is looking at weather as a contributing factor to the crash. Earlier reports pegged the washout as a sinkhole, but Arizona Department of Transportation Spokesperson Ryan Harding said that flooding from the rain of Tropical Depression Rosa caused the 30-foot section of highway to sever. A sinkhole is formed when a deposit of limestone dissolves from underground water, eroding it away over time. A washout happens when a large amount of water, like that of earlier this week, washes away the foundation of rock and dirt on which the road was built. “The flooding, caused by the remnants of Rosa, cut through the highway and through the earth beneath it, necessitating extensive repairs,” Harding wrote in an email. “ADOT is currently evaluating the extent of the damage and will make short-term repairs to reopen the highway as soon as possible and return later with a project to make permanent repairs.” While ADOT is working closely with tribal and federal partners to get the road open, US 89 is expected to remain closed for multiple days, he wrote, adding that there is no set timetable as to when it will be drivable again.<doc-sep>One person died in a crash after heavy rain caused a sinkhole to open Wednesday night on U.S. 89 near Cameron, shutting the road to traffic and forcing significant detours north of Flagstaff. State transportation officials said the highway would be closed for "multiple days'' while emergency repairs are made. State troopers responding to a two-vehicle crash at 11:37 p.m. around milepost 471 were advised that one of the vehicles may have run into a large sinkhole, the Arizona Department of Public Safety said in a social media post. Rain had fallen heavily in the area and part of U.S. 89 had washed out, creating the sinkhole, the department said. One person, who was not identified, died in the crash; an unknown number of others were taken to a hospital with injuries. U.S. 89 is expected to be closed for an extended period. The southbound lanes are closed at the U.S. 89/Highway 160 junction, and the northbound lanes are closed at Cameron, the Department of Public Safety stated. Cameron is about 52 miles north of Flagstaff. U.S. 89 and U.S. 180 are the two major highways that connect the city with locations to the north. The Arizona Department of Transportation is working with tribal governments and federal partners to reopen the highway section as soon as possible, ADOT said. Officials did not say how soon the road might open. “For residents, tourists and trade, US 89 is an essential route through northern Arizona,” ADOT Director John Halikowski said in a statement. “We are bringing all available resources to minimize the time needed to reopen the highway and we are grateful for the assistance offered by Navajo and Hopi leaders and by the Federal Highway Administration.” ADOT has advised motorists of alternative routes: Those heading to Page, Tuba City and other destinations north of Cameron can take Interstate 40 east from Flagstaff to State Route 87 at Winslow, then head north to State Route 264, northwest to U.S. 160 in Tuba City and west to U.S. 89. For motorists traveling south on U.S. 89, the closure does not affect access to Grand Canyon National Park’s east entrance via SR 64. The department plans to do short-term repairs to allow the roadway to reopen quickly and will send work to make permanent repairs later, ADOT said. ADOT sent personnel and equipment to the sinkhole site Thursday and requested special funding through the Federal Highway Administration’s Emergency Relief Program for emergency repairs, officials said. About five years ago, a landslide on U.S. 89 further north near Bitter Springs severed the highway, forcing it to close for about two years. Work to rebuild the road cost $25 million. The Navajo Division of Transportation is working with ADOT to prevent unsafe detours on tribal roads and is aiding in roadway repair, ADOT said. Hopi Department of Transportation Director Michael Lomayaktewa, said motorists using state routes through the tribe’s reservation should watch for pedestrians and for local traffic, including buses. Drivers also should understand that some stretches have sharp bends and steep grades, he added. READ MORE:<doc-sep>Traffic restored in both directions following fatality and damage caused by heavy rains CAMERON, Ariz. — The Arizona Department of Transportation reopened US 89 between Cameron and US 160 on the Navajo Nation Oct. 5, two days after the road was closed because of the road collapsing after heavy rains during the night Oct. 3. Flooding damaged the roadway late Wednesday midway between Flagstaff and Page. The flooding, caused by the remnants of Hurricane Rosa, cut through a 30-foot section of US 89 and the earth below it, requiring ADOT to close the highway in both directions to assess the damage and make emergency repairs. ADOT spokesman Doug Nintzel said the crews worked around the clock to make the repairs. “The goal was to reopen the highway as soon as possible, since we know how important [the highway] is for drivers,” he said. The highway may have opened earlier, but the crews discovered a hole on the other side of the road from where the original crack appeared, and they had to dig that out and fill it in, too. “Crews worked to restore the subgrade on both sides of the box culvert where the flooding occurred,” Nintzel said. While the road has been fixed, Nintzel emphasized it is a temporary fix and the road will need to have a more permanent fix in the future. “ADOT is now preparing for a project that will make longer-term repairs, and is seeking reimbursement through the Federal Highway Administration’s Emergency Relief Program,” an ADOT press release said. The highway is now open to all traffic. ADOT advises drivers to plan for a reduced speed limit where crews have completed short-term repairs. Milton Tso, Cameron Chapter president, thanked ADOT for its quick action on helping the local community with an emergency bypass and keeping traffic flowing. “I also want to thank the local people for their patience and those who helped out with food and coffee [for the workers],” Tso said. “I just wanted to thank everybody involved in helping to take care of this problem.” The Navajo Nation declared a state of emergency for the Western Agency Oct. 4. The Navajo Department of Transportation (NDOT) offered its assistance to ADOT with the repairs. “NDOT appreciates the quick response by ADOT regarding the road damage on Highway 89,” said Division Director Garret Silversmith. “Historically, NDOT and ADOT have always had a strong and collaborative relationship on transportation concerns and issues through the Navajo Nation and the great state of Arizona. NDOT also helped with a local detour where Cameron residents could get around the closed highway without using the emergency only bypass set up by ADOT. Authorities identify woman The Arizona Department of Public Safety confirmed that a two-car accident Oct. 3 was a result of the wash out caused by heavy flooding. The accident occurred at milepost 471.3, near Five-Mile Wash (roughly midway between Flagstaff and Page). The woman, Amelie Fortune, 26, of France was fatally struck by a car on the collapsed section of the highway. Troopers were called late on the evening of Oct. 3 to the stretch of U.S. 89 near Cameron. They say Fortune had just crossed a section in her car as it started to give way. She was inspecting the damage when another driver lost control while crossing the collapsed area. Fortune was hit and died at the scene. Her two passengers were treated and released at a hospital.<doc-sep>
A woman was hit and killed Wednesday night after storms washed away part of US 89 in northern Arizona. The roadway is closed midway between Flagstaff and Page, Arizona, and is expected to be closed for "several days," according to the Arizona Department of Transportation. The northbound lanes are closed at Cameron, or milepost 467, and the southbound lanes are closed at US 160, or milepost 481, ADOT said Thursday morning. ADOT said alternative options include Interstate 40, State Route 87, State Route 264 or US 160, which will add an estimated 190 miles to drivers' trips. US 89 closure: Because of storm damage, the highway is closed between Cameron and US 160. The alternate route will add about 190 miles via I-40, SR 87, SR 264 and US 160. Expect an extended closure to repair the road. #aztraffic pic.twitter.com/IgggjEl3WK — Arizona DOT (@ArizonaDOT) October 4, 2018 The Arizona Department of Transportation said in a tweet that it was also investigating a deadly crash on that stretch of roadway. TRAFFIC ALERT: US 89 is closed due a fatal collision and road damage caused by extreme heavy rains. Southbound lanes are closed at the junction of US 89/SR 160. Northbound lanes are closed at Cameron. This will be an extended closure. pic.twitter.com/XBZQJuBdCf — Dept. Public Safety (@Arizona_DPS) October 4, 2018 In an update Thursday afternoon, DPS said troopers responded to milepost 471.1 the night before to investigate a crash involving two vehicles. Citing preliminary information, DPS said a 26-year-old woman from France was driving northbound on US 89 when the roadway began to collapse. Her vehicle "sustained major damage," DPS said. DPS said the woman got out of her vehicle and was hit by the driver of a Toyota pickup who was also traveling northbound and lost control of his truck when he crossed over the damaged roadway. The French woman died at the scene, said DPS. Two passengers who were in the French woman's vehicle were transported to the hospital, treated for their injuries, and released. The driver of the Toyota, a 40-year-old male from Lakeside, Arizona, was treated at the scene. DPS said it is looking into the possibility that weather was a contributing factor in the crash.