Rains force road closures

SANDPOINT — Heavy rains are forcing the temporary closure of four roads in the Idaho Panhandle National Forests, the U.S. Forest Service announced on Wednesday.

"We are implementing emergency road closures in damaged areas for public safety," said Sandpoint District Ranger Dick Kramer.

The following roads will be closed until further notice:

? Gold Ridge Road No. 2236 (Grouse Creek drainage) — Emergency repairs are under way to restore access for four stranded families. No other public access is allowed for the time being.

? Pack River Road No. 231 to 13 Mile Bridge — Access is being restored for three families. The bridge is expected to reopen to snowmobile and all-terrain vehicle by this weekend, but the bridge will be closed to all passenger vehicles.

? Lightning Creek No. 419 — This and adjacent interior roads are closed to all motorized access from the 5-mile marker to about 1 1/2 miles below its junction with Trestle Creek Road No. 278. Trestle Creek Road and the upper portion of Lightning Creek Road to Moose Lake will remain open to snowmobile traffic.

? Rattle Creek Road No. 473 — This road north of Clark Fork is closed to all motorized use. Access to upper Rattle Creek via Montana is unknown at this time.

The Kootenai National Forest Forest also received flood damage to Keeler-Rattle Road No. 473.

Kramer estimates the cost of repairs to the damaged roads could exceed $2 million. He said it uncertain how long it will take to complete the repairs.

"Lightning Creek has a history of these events. It is one of the wettest drainages in Idaho. The last big flood was after the 1996 winter, but the damage from this flood pales that one," Kramer said. "We may have to rethink how we manage our roads in Lightning Creek."