I thought I'd bring to light something I recently found that would have some bearing on this. Apparently it would have been easier than I'd thought for the Balrog to make its way under Moria without being noticed.
Quote:
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Here the Elven-way from Hollin ended. Holly was the token of the people of that land, and they planted it here to mark the end of their domain; for the West-door was made chiefly for their use in their traffic with the Lords of Moria.
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FOTR A Journey In the Dark
The
Tale of Years says Eregion was founded in the year 750 of the Second Age, so the West-gate through with the Fellowship entered Moria was not in existence at the time the Balrog would have been fleeing Thangorodrim.
With such a prosperous Dwarven city which surely held commerce with others east and west, you'd think it
must have been accessible from the western side of the Mountains though, and presumably there were other ways in.
I still have yet to figure out why the Balrog chose the Misty Mountains near Moria as a hiding place. You'd think the Grey Mountains would have been much better. After all, they seem to have been pretty much left alone by Elves, Men, and Dwarves, and the remaining Dragons apparently made the Withered Heath in those mountains their home after the fall of Morgoth.