San Miguel Power Association finally has everything it needs — a permit, local government approval and a helicopter — to proceed with a long-planned project that will temporarily close U.S. Highway 550 over Red Mountain Pass.

The rural electric cooperative announced this week it will close the highway Sept. 13-17 and Sept. 20-24 so it can clear trees and other vegetation around its power line that traverses Red Mountain.

A five-mile stretch of the highway between roughly mile markers 87 and 92...