BEAVER, Utah — The recent floods that have caused damage across Beaver County in central Utah have washed out a major road through Beaver Canyon, forcing its indefinite closure.
Photos shared by the Utah Department of Transportation show massive damage to SR-153, with parts of the road completely washed away in multiple locations.
Due to debris blocking the highway, the closure of SR-153 begins at mile marker 7.5 east of Beaver.
Residents affected by Beaver flooding now in race against next round of storms:
According to UDOT, the most severe damage is located between mile markers 7.5 and 10.5, where the agency said several sections of the road have been destroyed over that three-mile stretch.
In addition, half the road near mile marker 14 has been washed into the river after floods undercut the highway.
UDOT said its crews are still assessing the damage and its full extent is not yet known.
Drivers are warned not to enter the closed highway from either side of the mountain that encompasses the highway, as access from the U.S. 89 side is also not considered to be safe.
“If we have another storm, water and debris could come down the canyon again and cause additional damage,” said UDOT Region 4 Deputy Director Jared Beard. “We’ve been seeing thunderstorms every afternoon, and right now, neither side of the mountain is safe.”
