Muskingum Avenue, in the area better known as Dug Road, is closed for the time being due to a road slip.

According to City Engineer Chip Saunders, crews patching the street Thursday noticed the slip along the roadway’s riverside.

Saunders said there is concern for further slippage, making the road unsafe for travel.

Several factors, including the current height of the Muskingum River, moisture in the air and recent freezing and thawing of the road, are believed to have caused the slip which Saunders said is common in the winter.

According to Saunders, the road will definitely be closed over the weekend and indefinitely afterward.

The City is working to determine which funding sources are available to make the necessary repairs to reopen the road, which was already down to one lane prior to the recent slip.

Saunders said no residents are left stranded due to the closure.

Although the closure is an inconvenience for drivers, Zanesville Fire Chief Jeff Bell said the road has not been routinely used for emergency services since it has operated as one lane.