Officials at Bandelier National Monument say work has started to repair damage near the visitor center caused by flash flooding in the wake of a wildfire that charred more than 230 square miles in northern New Mexico in 2011.
The monument is using emergency relief funds from the Federal Highway Administration to get the work done.
Contractors plan to build a new vehicle access route, clean up flood debris and re-establish the picnic area and overflow parking areas at the bottom of Frijoles Canyon.
The project also will include stabilizing part of the edge of the entrance road that eroded.
Officials say completion of the project is scheduled for the end of October. If cold weather arrives early, they say the paving will be pushed back until the spring.
Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.