Cowlitz County delays several road capital projects as permits and reimbursements lag
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Summary
County engineer Susan Eugenis and roads staff said key projects including South Cloverdale, Dike Road reconstruction and Tower Road bridge were delayed by permitting and utility coordination; funding sources include grants, ARPA and timber taxes, and staff said Barnes Drive showed structural failure requiring FEMA preliminary cleanup and possible federal-highway funding for the final repair.
County Engineer Susan Eugenis told commissioners multiple major road projects planned for this year were delayed and will carry into next year because of permitting and utility-relocation needs and timing of external reimbursements.
Eugenis said South Cloverdale is a roughly $7 million project with about $6 million expected from external sources; the county has spent a small portion to date and expects further spending as the project advances. She said the Allender Road bridge replacement — a grant-funded project — was awarded and that its grant-share calculation was adjusted during contracting. Tower Road bridge and Rock Creek culvert work were postponed after property-acquisition and permitting timelines stretched into winter; Eugenis said property-signing is imminent so that work can go to bid in January.
The Dike Road reconstruction project is estimated at about $5 million with roughly $1.6 million anticipated from the County Road Administration Board (CRAB); Eugenis described repeated rounds of Army Corps reviews and utility coordination that have delayed the project’s start.
Staff acknowledged unusually strong timber-tax receipts in the last two years, and county road-fund balances rose because several large projects budgeted for 2024 were not spent. Sean, a roads presenter, said timber taxes and property taxes are the road-fund’s two primary revenue sources and ARPA and grant reimbursements are key to capital spending.
Eugenis reported engineers performed an inspection of Barnes Drive after storm damage and said an on-site culvert appears to have failed; she said preliminary cleanup funding would likely come from FEMA and final project funding could rely on federal-highway funds pending eligibility. The county’s roads staff will send preliminary damage assessments to the state’s disaster-management office to seek eligibility for FEMA support.
Commissioners did not vote on capital projects during the meeting; staff said they expect to return with bid notices or budget amendments as property and permit issues are resolved.