US 89 Bitter Springs Landslide Video Updates

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US89DrillingYouTubeThumbSince I last posted about this landslide, ADOT has added several videos to their YouTube channel.  It’s clear that this highway is going to be closed for the long term.  ADOT and their on-call geotechnical consultant tasked with this project, Kleinfelder, are currently drilling boreholes to attempt to characterize the failure surface and determine what the geometry of the failure surface is.  They are installing at least 10 inclinometers to try to determine the location of the slip plane or planes at depth and they have two extensometers to measure if any additional movement occurs.  They are also performing LIDAR surveys as well. Check out the videos below.

Initial ADOT Video Describing the Failure

Aerial View from a Helicopter Showing The Full Failure

It’s 1/4 of a mile wide at the toe!

Geotechnical Drilling and Inclinometer Installation (Added