Almost a month after several inches of rain fell in Sedona and the surrounding area in one day, residents still are being impacted by the storm, and they will continue to be for the next several weeks.

While State Route 89A in Oak Creek Canyon has opened one way with the aid of two streetlights, the Arizona Department of Transportation is reporting the road will not have lanes of traffic until the end of March at the earliest.

In the immediate days following the January storm, ADOT closed the state route in both directions before installing lights for one-way traffic.

ADOT spokesman Rod Wigman said the delay is partly because the state had to put the work out to bid, and hopes to have a contractor in place and working by Monday, March 30.

He said the main problem is the soil under the roadway in one small one area washed out because of the heavy rain and snow amounts Jan. 21.

The soil had helped support the roadway, and the southbound shoulder of the state route had the most damage.

Wigman said the contractor will have to drill in the side of the hill in order to improve the street with some support. He added the damaged area is only about 25 feet and on the southbound lane heading into Sedona from Flagstaff.

The northbound lane, Wigman said, was not affected by the rain and snow, but added opening up the entire state route would have been dangerous.

“It’s just not safe to have traffic driving on the southbound lane,” Wigman said. He also said a retaining wall will have be constructed so the hillside will not cave in.

Wigman also added both the north and south portions of the state route will be closed once the drilling begins and anticipates this work to take up to two days.

Wigman said ADOT right now is in a holding pattern because no bid has been accepted.

“We don’t have anyone doing the work yet,” he said.

ADOT engineers, Wigman said, will continue to monitor the situation, and added the work, once started, is expected to take about two weeks.

ADOT has also added a height restriction of 13 feet for vehicles traveling between Flagstaff and Sedona until the work is completed.

Wigman said the new height regulations were implemented to eliminate the top of high vehicles from hitting the temporary streetlights at the two locations.

Until the repairs are made, restrictions will remain in place, Wigman said.

Other restrictions already in place limit vehicles to a maximum length of 40 feet and a maximum width of 12 feet. He said these regulations will not change.

While the highway is narrowed to one lane through the switchbacks with alternating traffic controlled by the traffic signals, motorists should expect delays of up to 10 minutes.

Michael Maresh can be reached at 282-7795, ext. 125, or e-mail mmaresh@larsonnewspapers.com