Public Works to seek condemnation for Allender Road culvert, pursue safety mapping and river-assessment grant

County engineering staff briefed commissioners on several Public Works items set for the next agenda, including a federally funded Clear Zone inventory, a proposed condemnation to secure easements for an Allender Road culvert replacement, an amendment to a utilities ordinance, and a draft grant to study river geomorphology.

Susan Eugenis, the county engineer identified in the transcript, described the Clear Zone inventory project as a Washington State Department of Transportation local-agency agreement tied to the Highway Safety Improvement Program with a total cost of $310,000 and 100% funding. "We will be using these dollars to map, rent some equipment and then drive the roadways to map everything that's within the clear zone of the right of ways," Eugenis said, adding the data will be used to prioritize future safety projects.

Eugenis also said staff will bring a public hearing to begin the condemnation process for property needed for an Allender Road culvert replacement at Stillwater Creek (address: 221 Allender Road). She told the board staff "have exhausted all of our possibilities of contacts for the property owners, and we need to start moving forward on this condemnation so we can hopefully build this next summer." Staff described the permanent easement as 4,494 square feet adjacent to the roadway and a temporary construction easement of just under 27,000 square feet to provide access during work; the temporary easement reverts to the owner after completion.

On regulatory updates, staff said they will present an amendment to Ordinance 12 21 to clarify installation and maintenance requirements for utilities in the right of way, with the goal of strengthening franchise provisions so utilities move when county projects require it.

Eugenis also outlined a draft application for a risk-and-needs geomorphic assessment of the Lower Toutle and Lower Cowlitz Rivers. The notice of funding opportunity allows up to $300,000 per county (up to $2,000,000 total). The application deadline is the 17th, with award announcements anticipated Aug. 24, and the program requires work completed by June 2027. Staff said the schedule is tight: the county would need to run procurement while the application is pending, select a consultant and negotiate price quickly to meet the timeline. "That is my biggest concern... being able to get a consultant on board and getting them to turn it around in that 10 month timeline," Eugenis said.

Commissioners asked whether the study would support U.S. Army Corps work and how the county would manage procurement and deadlines; staff said the study would provide an "atlas" of hot spots and could help inform Corps studies, but that some details—such as whether extensions are available or grant-specific return requirements—need confirmation.

No formal votes or approvals were recorded in the transcript for these Public Works items; staff said these items will appear on the next agenda for public hearing and potential action.