Construction contractors have dug down 50 feet and are working around the clock to repair and reopen the Big Oak Flat road.
Credit: NPS Photo
March 29, 2017 - Yosemite National Park continues to repair the Big Oak Flat Road (Highway 120 West) leading to Yosemite Valley. Severe winter storms that have given new life to an underground spring caused saturated, heavy soils under the road to slide downhill. Over 200 feet of roadway has been impacted. As a result of the slide, the Big Oak Flat road from Crane Flat to Foresta Junction has been unsafe for vehicular travel and closed for repairs since late February. There is no estimated date for the road to reopen.
Work crews are working around the clock, as weather permits, to install drainage and erosion controls and to repair the road. As of today, crews have dug down 50 feet to the spring and are installing French drains for drainage control. More drains will be installed later this week.
Visitors are welcome to visit Yosemite National Park via the Big Oak Flat entrance. The park has waived the entrance fee for all vehicles entering via the Big Oak Flat Entrance Station. Visitors entering the park via Highway 120 can enjoy a wide variety of activities, including camping at Hodgdon Meadow Campground, snowshoeing and Nordic Skiing from Crane Flat and hiking in the Merced and Tuolumne Groves of Giant Sequoias. Park entrance fees still apply to all visitors entering the park via the Arch Rock and South Entrance Stations.
Highway 140 (El Portal Road) and Highway 41 (Wawona Road) are open and clear for all vehicular traffic to access Yosemite Valley, the Yosemite Ski and Snowboard Area, and Wawona. Visitors traveling to and from Yosemite National Park are urged to drive with caution and be aware of rocks and debris on the roadway.
For updated 24-hour road and weather conditions for Yosemite National Park, please call 209-372-0200, press 1 and press 1 again.
Construction contractors are working to install French drains for drainage control. Credit: NPS Photo
Source: NPS
