ELKVIEW, W.Va. — Crews with the state Division of Highways continued work Wednesday to break up an estimated 450-ton boulder that slid off a rain-drenched mountainside and completely blocked Blue Creek Road on Tuesday, forcing its overnight closure.
Division of Highways supervisor Terry Goodwin, among the first on the scene, was grateful no motorists were passing by at the time the boulder broke loose.
“If they didn’t see it they would have hit it,” Goodwin said. “But I don’t think anyone’s under it. We hope nobody’s under it.”
With the road closed to public traffic, area residents who must travel the road for emergency reasons were asked to call 911.
DOH operator Greg Foster said crews will use an excavator to break up the massive rock and haul it away. Officials estimated the road will remain closed overnight and into Wednesday morning so that crews can begin removing the rock and repairing the damaged road.
Buses did not run Wednesday morning on Blue Creek Road because of the rock slide.