Video Courtesy of Los Angeles County Department of Public Works

[KHTS]  – Drilling began Tuesday on the 400 foot stretch of Vasquez Canyon Road that was destroyed by a slow moving landslide in November.

The drilling was done as close as possible to the area most affected, without entering private property, in order to find out what the cause of the landslide was and to begin to understand how to repair the road, according to Steven Frasher, public information officer for the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works.

The affected area of road is located on private property and the county has still not been successful in locating the owner of the private land.

The landslide happenedin late November and wreaked havoc on the road, sending pieces of pavement up to 15 feet into the air and closing the road indefinitely.

Geologists were able to drill three holes to gauge what the soil and rock layers are doing, Frasher said.

The hole drilled on the east end did not provide much, but the hole drilled on the west area confirmed suspicions that moisture was a contributing factor to the “catastrophic failure” that occurred, Frasher said.

Geologists found a band of moisture 18 feet deep and possible changes in rock types, Frasher said. The changes in rock type is normal, and happens naturally over millions of years.

The data found during the dig still requires continued analysis, Frasher said, but he remains hopeful that the road will open again.

“The road will be repaired,” Frasher said, “we just want to have the right platform and a good foundation with no danger to do that.”

As of Dec. 16 the land is still loose and shifting.

Exposed cross-section of uplifted Vasquez Canyon Road provides clues to geologists seeking solutions to landslide. Photo courtesy of Los Angeles County Works.

Director Gail Farber gives geologist landslide briefing at Vasquez Canyon, prelude before fixing road. Photo courtesy of Los Angeles County Public Works.