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County installs temporary water‑filled barriers at Dike Road after repeated vehicles entered slough; guardrail replacement needs Army Corps approval
Summary
Public Works reported short-term water‑filled barriers were placed at the Dike Road turn near the Columbia River after multiple incidents of vehicles entering a slough; permanent guardrail will require coordination with the diking district and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers under the 408 process.
Public Works updated the board on a safety countermeasure placed at the intersection of Dike Road and Dike Access Road near Woodland High School where vehicles have entered the slough and, in one case, a vehicle submerged for three years and was linked to a missing person case.
“...they when they went to recover that vehicle, they've had another vehicle that's been missing for 3 years at the same location,” Public Works staff said, adding the county placed short-term, water‑filled barriers to provide immediate protection. The barriers are hinged and pinned together and are not anchored to the ground, which allows them to flex on impact; when filled they weigh roughly £1,200 each (as described by staff).
Public Works staff said the site is on the dike and that, because the dike predated roadwork, installing permanent guardrail requires sign-off from the diking district and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers under the Corps' Section 408 review process. Staff characterized the 408 process as lengthy and noted the temporary barriers provide interim protection while the county pursues the multi-agency approvals and a planned guardrail-repair project.
Nut graf: The county's temporary barriers address immediate safety concerns at a known crash location while permanent guardrail installation awaits interagency approvals; staff noted the site has both repeat off-road crash history and complex permitting due to the dike and federal oversight.
Ending: Public Works will continue to pursue the guardrail replacement through the diking district and Army Corps approvals and maintain temporary measures in the short term.
