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Bonner County affirms cooperative roads decision, removes Trussell Creek segment from USFS agreement
Summary
After workshops with the U.S. Forest Service and landowners, Bonner County commissioners affirmed a January decision to remove a portion of Trussell Creek Road (MP 3.7–4.18) from a cooperative roads agreement, citing safety and equity concerns about providing free plowing to some users.
Bonner County affirmed on the record its earlier Jan. 7 decision to exclude a portion of Trussell (Trussel/Trussell) Creek Road — from milepost 3.7 to 4.18, ending at Star Ridge Road — from a U.S. Forest Service cooperative roads agreement.
Jason Topp, Bonner County Road and Bridge director, told the board the segment had been removed from the agreement after safety and liability concerns were raised about snowmobiles sharing the plowed travel lane and the county’s lack of a separate turnaround off the main road. Topp said county staff discussed alternatives with the Forest Service, including building a separated turnout to keep snowmobilers off the plowed portion and ensuring the intersection at Star Ridge Road could be plowed to allow safe turnaround; the Forest Service later said it lacked funds to build that separation.
Topp said that the county’s decision reflects both safety concerns and equity: "How do you justify one group of people getting free plowing service on the county's dime where other people in the same situation can't achieve that?" He described the prior arrangement as an informal, longstanding practice rather than a formal county obligation.
During the meeting, resident Kevin Moore and other members of the public commented on fairness, safety and precedent for county road service. The board took a motion to "affirm the 2025 Cooperative Forest Road Grama decision made on 01/07/2025, removing the portion of Trestle[Trussell] Creek Road from Mile Post 3.7 to 4.18 ending at Star Ridge Road," and the motion carried by roll call.
Ending
The county's affirmation formalizes the earlier decision and leaves the Forest Service responsible for maintaining the excluded segment under its road permit; the Forest Service indicated it will issue a line notice permit to maintain the portion of road but said it lacks funds to construct a separated turnout solution discussed with the commissioners.
