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Bonner County workshop considers ending plowing past snowmobile lot unless Forest Service provides turnaround
Summary
County Road & Bridge cited safety and liability concerns for plowing beyond the Snowmobile parking turnaround on Trestle Creek Road and asked staff to work with the U.S. Forest Service on a possible groomer path or dedicated turnaround; residents urged continuation of the 25-year practice and offered local fixes.
Bonner County officials, road crews and residents debated whether county crews should continue plowing Trestle Creek Road beyond the snowmobile parking turnaround during a workshop that focused on safety, liability and maintenance responsibilities.
Road and Bridge Director Jason Topp told the Bonner County Board of Commissioners that county plows face safety risks where narrow sections and private gates limit where crews can store snow and turn equipment. “It is my opinion that if the Forest Service wants us to continue maintenance above the Snowville turnaround, that they should be providing us with a turnaround,” Topp said, using his title when he spoke to the board.
The issue matters because the county currently performs winter maintenance beyond the end of its usual jurisdiction as part of a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Forest Service. Topp described repeated near misses between plow trucks and snowmobilers, the difficulty of…
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