The Grants Pass Field Office of the Bureau of Land Management is pleased to announce that construction has finished on a closed section of Galice Road nearly two months ahead of schedule.
According to the BLM, the barriers will be removed by today and the public will again be allowed to use the road. The area between Almeda County Park and the Grave Creek Boat Ramp has been closed since the Rum Creek Fire in 2021.
Officials said there is still potential for hazards in the burned area including falling trees and limbs, debris flows, falling rocks and other safety concerns. Motorists are encouraged to avoid parking under cliff faces. The Rainie Falls Recreational Trail and Rocky Bar are still closed to the public. Argo Boat Ramp is now open.
The Rum Creek Fire caused extensive damage to the areas above the narrow road corridor and surrounding landscape, leading to debris slides, falling rocks and damaged trees that needed to be addressed before the road was safe to travel again.
Total cost of the project was $4 million. Crews performed rock scaling where they removed loose rocks above the road. Approximately 400 dump truck loads of loose material were removed. Rock netting and attenuator fences were installed to reduce future rockfall events. Additional work was completed to help culverts deal with additional debris. Crews patched asphalt where falling rocks damaged the road.
Grants Pass Field Manager Heidi Lowery thanked the public for its patience while safe travel conditions were ensured after the Rum Creek Fire. She urged motorists to drive carefully on the reopened road and keep an eye out for hazards.
