Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Local Roads And Bridges topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Commissioners approve easements, plan permanent bridge replacement on Tower Road
Summary
County staff requested and received board permission for the chair to sign temporary and permanent easements on Tower Road from the Bellfield property to proceed with a bridge replacement project that will raise road grade and reconstruct a steep driveway; staff will use a purchased temporary bridge during construction.
Cowlitz County staff told commissioners they have negotiated a permanent easement (0.04 acres) and a temporary construction easement from property owners identified as Mr. and Mrs. Bellfield to allow reconstruction of a washout-damaged section of Tower Road.
Susan Genes, county engineer, said the county will raise the road grade as part of the permanent bridge project and will reconstruct the landowner's driveway, which she said will reduce the driveway's steepness as a collateral benefit. Genes said the original washout occurred in 2022 and that construction drawings are roughly 95% complete; the project is planned for next summer.
Why it matters: the easements are required for access and construction work on private property for the public project. Genes told the board the county chose to purchase a temporary modular bridge (the county already owns other temporary bridges) rather than rent one; those temporary bridges can be reconfigured for multiple future uses.
Board direction and next steps: the board authorized the chair to sign the easements and gave staff permission to proceed. Staff will finalize easement documents, complete permitting, and proceed with construction next summer; staff intend to reuse the county's modular temporary-bridge inventory for future needs as well.
Additional detail: Genes said the county owns two other temporary bridges and currently has a deployed bridge on Pleasant Hill and another installed on the Ostrander Bypass on Weyerhaeuser Road. The bridge to be removed after permanent construction can be broken into sections for future reuse.
