Board adopts rural road safety plan, schedules Oct. 6 hearing on North Tusche Road speed changes

The Columbia County Board of Commissioners adopted the county’s 2025 Rural Road Safety Plan on Sept. 15 and scheduled a public hearing for proposed speed-limit adjustments on North Tusche Road for 9:30 a.m. on Oct. 6.

Public Works staff presented the safety plan and a draft speed study that identified concentrated crash locations on North Tusche Road, partly reflecting high traffic to a nearby ski area and several curves and driveways. The plan documents crash locations and recommends targeted speed revisions to reduce risk.

Under the draft proposal described to the board, the western segment of North Tusche Road would be adjusted to 45 mph from milepost 11.14 to 12.81, and a further segment from milepost 12.81 to 13.98 would be lowered to 35 mph; staff said the adjustments would better match roadway geometry and crash patterns.

Commissioners asked whether staff wanted a separate evening meeting or to handle the administrative hearing during the regular business day; Board Chair set the hearing for Oct. 6 at 9:30 a.m. and directed staff to publish notice and a bill list for the hearing.

Public Works staff said the plan is intended to guide future maintenance and targeted safety work and that the posted speed changes would be based on the formal speed study and public input.

The board adopted the 2025 plan in a unanimous vote and gave staff direction to move the speed-change proposal through public-notice and hearing processes.