USFS road work set near Clark Fork

CLARK FORK — Beginning Monday, July 27, road improvement work on the Sandpoint Ranger District of the Idaho Panhandle National Forests will resume on Auxor Road 489,.

The road is located near Clark Fork in the Lightning Creek area. Drivers can expect short delays in most cases, but planned work could delay traffic up to four hours at a time.

The road improvement project is a continuation of work started last summer. The project includes reconstructing approximately 8.25 miles of Auxor Road to improve the road surface and drainage, widen turnouts, construct new turnouts, and remove roadside vegetation to increase visibility. Ditches, culverts and catch basins will be cleaned, and turnaround spots at the end of the road will be improved. Work is expected to continue through August 30.

Auxor Road was originally built over 50 years ago for mining and timber access. Today, recreationists regularly use this road to access the National Forest to camp, hunt, pick huckleberries, or simply to take in the scenery. The Forest Service appreciates the public’s patience as we work to improve this public driving route.

Visitors to the Idaho Panhandle National Forests are encouraged to pick up a free motor vehicle use map available at any of the ranger stations or for download onto a smart device through the Avenza Maps app. For additional information about this project, please contact the Sandpoint Ranger Station at 208-263-5111 or visit the Forest Service website at www.fs.usda.gov/ipnf/