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Cowlitz County to study safety fixes at Witherby–Rose Valley intersection
Summary
County engineer told commissioners residents reported poor sight lines at the Witherby–Rose Valley intersection; an 85th‑percentile speed of about 45 mph was recorded on a 40 mph road. She asked for permission to investigate activated warning signs and other engineering fixes; the board agreed to proceed.
Susan Eugenis, county engineer, told the Cowlitz County Board of Commissioners that residents raised safety concerns at the intersection of Witherby and Rose Valley Road and asked the board’s permission to pursue engineering solutions.
Eugenis said the county received three resident requests about the intersection, where a bluff limits visibility looking east. An internal speed study showed an 85th‑percentile speed of roughly 45 miles per hour on Rose Valley Road, which is posted at 40 mph. "The 85th percentile is surprisingly only 45 miles per hour, which means we're pretty dead on with our speed limit," she said.
Why it matters: limited sight distance at a side‑street intersection increases crash risk for drivers entering the main road. Eugenis told the board she will investigate lower‑effort countermeasures first and report back with options and cost estimates.
What the county will examine: Eugenis said staff will evaluate solar‑powered, activated warning signs that flash when a vehicle is attempting to enter Rose Valley Road from Witherby, and consider detector methods — either in‑pavement loops or radar sensors — to trigger the signs. She noted more extensive engineering fixes such as shifting the intersection or cutting back the bluff would be more invasive or infeasible, and asked for permission to proceed with an investigation of site distance and potential solutions.
Board response and next steps: Commissioners indicated assent for the county engineer to move forward with the investigation and to return with recommended engineering measures and cost estimates. Eugenis said she would bring the findings back to the board for any formal approvals needed to implement changes.
