Northern Arizona highway damaged in landslide set to reopen

PAGE, Ariz. (AP) - A section of a northern Arizona highway that buckled in a landslide more than two years ago is scheduled to reopen later this month.

The closure of US 89 between Bitter Springs and Page meant lengthy detours for nearby residents, school buses and tourists after a 500-foot section buckled.

The Arizona Department of Transportation says it will reopen the highway on March 27 as long as nothing prevents the road from being paved. Buses with the Page Unified School District are expected to be the first to use it.

The $25 million repairs began last summer and included a realignment of the road and construction of a downslope buttress to support the area. The Transportation Department says the project is eligible for reimbursement through a federal emergency relief program.