Polk County commissioners said heavy truck traffic tied to U.S. Forest Service timber hauling has severely damaged Cookson Creek Road and directed county leaders to press federal officials for remediation and financial assurances.

Commissioner David Davis told the commission the road, once among the countys best, was "destroyed" by timber-haul trucks working on Forest Service projects. Commissioners and residents described cracked pavement, broken base and daily heavy loads: one resident reported counting roughly 100 trucks in a single day. Commissioners said damage appears greater than road-edge cracking, and they worry the road base will require major work if the trucking continues.

Legal counsel and local officials discussed jurisdictional limits and remedies. County attorneys said the Forest Service has administrative authority but that the county may pursue claims against private trucking contractors in state court or seek federal injunctions if administrative processes fail. One commissioner urged stopping the hauling until a bond is posted to guarantee repairs; counsel said a bond or insurance held by contractors could be used to indemnify the county for repair costs.

Commissioners asked staff to arrange a meeting with Forest Service representatives, gather documentation of truck counts and damage, and prepare potential administrative claims. Several officials urged urgency: one lawyer estimated a reasonable repair-cost estimate could be "around a half a million dollars" depending on base repairs.

The commission did not take a formal vote to sue but instructed county staff and the county attorney's office to pursue administrative remedies, meet with the Forest Service and prepare options including injunction or litigation if the Forest Service does not agree to repairs or financial assurances.

Residents and officials said the next scheduled Forest Service public meeting on the rally race will provide a public forum for local concerns; county leaders planned to compile questions and documentation for that meeting.

Ending: County staff were asked to coordinate a meeting with the Forest Service and to compile damage documentation and cost estimates; commissioners said they would consider legal options if the Forest Service did not address the damage.