Cowlitz County OKs $1.234M Burma Road–Toutle Park Road bypass; residents warn erosion may threaten new alignment

The Cowlitz County Board of Commissioners voted to award the Burma Road–Toutle Park Road bypass contract to Tappanee Inc., the low responsive bidder at $1,234,000, a county engineer said. County staff said the relocation is intended to preserve emergency access to three homes, the Cowlitz public shooting range and county property commonly called LT1 after continued bank retreat threatened the existing alignment.

County engineer Susan Eugenis told the board the low bid came in below the engineer’s estimate and staff has reviewed the bidder’s paperwork and found them responsive. She said county staff and consultants recommended relocation because in‑place repairs — a rock buttress or retaining wall — could cost an estimated $3–$5 million, require lengthy permitting (possibly a multi‑year EIS) and still have uncertain longevity at the site given groundwater seeps.

"We went down this road about three years ago," Eugenis said, summarizing alternatives the Army Corps and engineers considered. "Relocating the road is quite a bit cheaper than repairing it in place, and permitting could take two to five years if a large permitting level is required." She described plans to pave the first 650 feet, leave several hundred feet gravel to monitor settlement, then repave later if the subgrade stabilizes.

Residents who live near the failing bank urged the county to do more testing and said the Corps’ historic placement of dredge spoils and local springs, not just river erosion, are driving loss of property. "Even in the summertime the bank is going away — it has nothing to do with the river," resident Kenny Shea said. "There's a stream of water coming out 24/7. If they build the road around the other way, the bank is still eroding and nothing's going to stop it."

Commissioners acknowledged the residents’ concerns and said the county will continue to press the Army Corps for cooperation and that legal action against the federal government is an option but an expensive and uncertain path. "We are taking the steps that we can to ensure our citizens are safe," one commissioner said, noting the county cannot rely on unspecified federal fixes for immediate access problems.

The board also amended the order of establishment for the new county road to change the draft name from "Sediment Road" to "Beaver Lake Road," reflecting historical usage and neighbor preference, and approved the amended order by voice vote.

The county will work with neighbors to finalize driveway reconnections as engineering plans are completed; staff said the county surveyor and project engineer will coordinate property‑level tie‑ins in the coming weeks. Eugenis said smaller mitigation measures (French drains, targeted subgrade relief) will be considered in design where springs or groundwater are found.

Outcome and next steps: the board approved the contract award and the road naming amendment. Staff will complete final design, work with affected property owners on reconnections, and manage paving in phases to monitor settlement and reduce the need for an early repave.