Highway 55 closure creates issues for travelers and a business in Crouch

The Idaho Transportation Department closed Highway 55 at Smith's Ferry through the weekend because of a rockslide at the spot where they are working to widen the highway.

THE IDAHOTRANSPORTATION'SCONSTRUCTION SITEAT SMITH'S FERRYCLOSED HIGHWAY 55FOR THE ENTIREWEEKEND.OUTDOORREPORTER STEVEDENT SHOWS USHOW THIS AFFECTEDSOME TRAVELERSAND A BUSINESS INTHE SMALLMOUNTAIN TOWN OFCROUCH.PAUL AMENTA ANDLINDSAY HOLMESWERE HEADINGTOWARDS MCCALLTHIS WEEKEND BUTTHEY DIDN'T GET THEMEMO THAT AROCKSLIDE CLOSEDHIGHWAY 55."SO WE CAME BACKAND SAW THE SIGNFOR CROUCH ANDSAID LET'S GO TOCROUCH IT'S A CUTEMOUNTAIN TOWNAND WE WILL JUSTHANG OUT THEREFOR A BIT AND SEE IFTHERE ARE HOTSPRINGS OR A PLACETO HIKE AND WEENDED UP AT THISPLACE AND IT'SGREAT."THEY ENDED UP ATTWO RIVERS GRILLAND THE OWNERSWERE ALSOIMPACTED BY THEHIGHWAY 55CLOSURE BECAUSEFOOD DISTRIBUTORSTOOK THEALTERNATIVE ROUTEON HIGHWAY 95 ANDSKIPPED THEIRDELIVERIES TOCROUCH."THEY DIDN'T BRINGA TRUCK UP HEREBECAUSE THEYDIDN'T HAVE ANYTRUCKS GOING THISWAY THEY WERE ALLGOING AROUND THELONG WAY TOMCCALL SO WE HADTO RUN AND GETOUR OWN PRODUCTBECAUSE THEY SAIDWE ARE OUT OFLUCK I'VE BEENDOING BUSINESSWITH BOTH THESEPEOPLE FOR EIGHTYEARS AND IT TICKSME OFF IT'S LIKE MESAYING HERE'SYOUR CHICKENMARSALA BUT YOUHAVE TO GO TO THEKITCHEN AND COOKIT YOURSELF."ROBERT HAROLDCOOKS EVERY MEALAT THE TWO RIVERSGRILL."MY MENU IS PRETTYECLECTIC SO THEREIS SOMETHING FOREVERYBODY."BUT THERE WEREN'TMANY CARS ON THEROAD THIS WEEKENDWITH THE HIGHWAY55 CLOSURE ITREMINDED ME OFTHE LOCKDOWN AYEAR AGO HOWEVERROBERT TOLD USTHE PANDEMICACTUALLY HELPEDTHEIR BUSINESSWITH ALL THEPEOPLE FLOCKINGTO THE MOUNTAINSLAST SUMMER."THE COVID THINGBROUGHT US GREATBUSINESS AND WASA REAL SHOT IN THEARM FOR US."AND THEY GOT SOMENEW CUSTOMERSTHIS WEEKENDWHEN THIS PAIRDISCOVERED THISQUAINT MOUNTAINTOWN AND TWORIVER'S GRILL BYMISTAKE."WHEN WE GOT TOTWO RIVERS IT WASLIKE WE WEREGENERALLY WITHOUR FAMILY THEYJUST MADE US FEELEXACTLY AT HOMEWE ARE OVER HEREWITH THE MOUNTAINSCAPE IN THEBACKGROUND IT'SJUST ABSOLUTELYBEAUTIFUL."STEVE DENT IDAHONEWS SIX.I-T-D ANNOUNCEDEARLIER TODAYHIGHWAY 55 WILLREMAIN CLOSED ASCONDITIONS REMAINUNSAFE.DRIVERS AREADVISED TO USE THEALTERNATIVE ROUTEON HIGHWAY 95 FORITD TO ASSESS THESITUATION.THEY PLAN ONRELEASING THEIRNEXT UPDATE ONTUESDAY.