News Release

NPS Road 123 temporarily closed due to roadway collapse

A “slope slide” is the cause of a roadway collapse and temporary closure of NPS Road 123 south of Van Buren.

NPS Photo

News Release Date: April 20, 2022

Contact: Dena Matteson, [phone]

VAN BUREN, Mo. – Ozark National Scenic Riverways will temporarily close a portion of NPS Road 123 south of Van Buren due to a collapse of the road and nearby slope.  

NPS Road 123, locally known as the “Tram Road”, runs adjacent to the east bank of the Current River south of Van Buren.  Likely caused by wet conditions and ground saturation, the slope on the road’s downhill side collapsed, taking with it a large portion of the road surface. The remaining pavement is continuing to crumble and is unsafe for traffic. 

The road will be closed to thru traffic indefinitely while plans are developed for repairing or rerouting the roadway. The closure is approximately 7.5 miles south of Van Buren and 1.3 miles north of Chilton. Signs have been placed at each end of the road to alert travelers to the obstruction. Barricades have been placed near the closure in areas which allow vehicles to turn around safely. Visitors can still travel the road to those designated turnaround points on either side of the closure.  

Ozark National Scenic Riverways preserves the free-flowing Current and Jacks Fork Rivers, the surrounding resources, and the unique cultural heritage of the Ozark people. For more information, contact park headquarters at [phone], visit the park’s Facebook page, or website at www.nps.gov/ozar. 

www.nps.gov/ozar

Ozark National Scenic Riverways preserves 134 miles of the free-flowing Current and Jacks Fork rivers, the surrounding resources, and the unique cultural heritage of the Ozark people. 

 Learn more at www.nps.gov/ozar.  Find us on Facebook @ozarkriverways and on Instagram @ozarkriverwaysnps.

About the National Park Service. More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America's 423 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Learn more at www.nps.gov, and on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.