Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Supervisors raise emergency-access concerns after railroad closure notice for Smith's Ferry Road
Summary
Board members reported a railroad notice closing Smith's Ferry Road July 22 and warned it could block emergency access; supervisors urged residents to contact the railroad and asked staff to clarify emergency-service access and road jurisdiction.
During the conservation discussion, board members told supervisors they received a notice showing Smith's Ferry Road would be closed July 22 for railroad work. Reported closure times varied in discussion, and members worried the closure could prevent emergency services from reaching cabins and park areas.
One supervisor asked the county to contact the railroad and to seek a way to preserve emergency access. A board member said they had cleared the road after the storm previously for emergency services and urged neighbors to call the railroad. "If we could have emergency access somehow, if the park's not flooded and whatnot," a supervisor said during the discussion, noting the importance of stretcher access and vehicle passage when needed.
Staff and supervisors also queried whether Smith's Ferry Road is a county road or private and whether the railroad's placement of ties across a crossing might be temporary work in progress. County staff said they would follow up to confirm jurisdiction and whether emergency services would be accommodated during the closure.
