FAIRBANKS — The Taylor Highway was reopened to the junction with the Top of the World Highway on Tuesday on a limited basis while officials with the state Department of Transportation continued to assess damage caused by heavy rain last week that destroyed several sections of road.

The 160-mile road from the Alaska Highway to the Yukon River village of Eagle had been closed beyond Mile 67 at the community of Chicken since the flooding occurred on July 12.

Several motorists were stranded for up to three days because of the damage and a federal customs agent is presumed dead after his vehicle went off the road and was found submerged in O’Brien Creek, one of several area creeks that flooded.

Charles S. Collins, 56, of Eagle River has not been found since his empty vehicle was discovered in the creek on July 13. Collins was on his way to the border station on the Top of the World Highway on July 11 when he evidently failed to negotiate a corner and his vehicle went down a 200-foot embankment and ended up in the creek.

Alaska State Troopers spokeswoman Beth Ipsen said Collins’ vehicle was pulled out of the creek early Tuesday morning but there was no sign of him in the vehicle or in the vicinity. The search for Collins continues, and the Department of Homeland Security is planning to bring a search dog to Alaska from the Lower 48 to help, Ipsen said.

An assessment team from DOT traveled the road on Monday and Tuesday to get a better idea of the damage, as well as the cost and time that it will take to fix it, according to a news release issued by DOT on Tuesday.

The road is open to the turnoff to the Top of the World Highway at Mile 95. The Department of Transportation is running a pilot car through a roughly 10-mile section of one-lane road between miles 81 and 91, and motorists should expect delays.

The road to Eagle beyond Mile 95 remains closed while DOT crews make repairs. DOT crews have been working 24 hours per day since the flooding to get the road repaired. With the road open to the border, crews will focus on getting the road open to Eagle. Repair work is expected to take several weeks.

DOT officials warn drivers traveling the road to be alert for workers and equipment. Motorists are being asked not to stop or camp on the Taylor Highway between Chicken at Mile 67 and the cutoff to the Top of the World Highway except at designated Bureau of Land Management campgrounds.