FORKS — Jefferson County needs to plan a strategy for work on Undi Road in the next few months or face the possibility the damaged road could close permanently, county commissioners said Monday.
Jefferson County officials are seeking grants to build a new $1 million road to replace a stretch of Undi Road in West Jefferson County that could be permanently closed to residents.
The 0.8-mile stretch on the north bank of the Bogachiel River was severely damaged during fall and winter storms and has been reduced to one barely navigable lane, according to residents.
County crews have attempted to repair the road but found that it was too damaged for restoration.
Jefferson County District 3 commissioner Kathleen Kler visited the road site Saturday, meeting with about 13 local residents to discuss options for the road.
“The road cannot be saved and has lost almost all of its stability,” Kler said Monday. “We want to save access, but we have a limited amount of time and money.”
Kler said any solution needs to be finished by November when seasonal rains are expected, although longtime resident Russ Poppe said the timeline could be shorter.
“There needs to be some action,” Poppe said. “We usually get a pretty good rain in August.”
Poppe said about 16 different parcels are affected with about 15 people living year-round beyond the washed-out section.
Because the current road cannot be saved, the best proposal seems to be the construction of a new route that goes into the woods and around the affected area before rejoining with the existing road.
Jefferson County Public Works Director Monte Reinders has estimated the cost of building a new stretch of road at about $1 million.
The county has applied for a $1.8 million federal Department of Transportation grant from the Federal Land Access Program, Kler said, in order to subsidize other flood-related projects.
Frustrated, angry
Kler said the residents were frustrated and angry for fear of losing their land and their homes.
They also feel ignored by the county and its inability to fix the problem, but Kler’s visit alleviated some of that.
Poppe said he was pessimistic about solving the problem but gained a little optimism after Kler’s visit.
“This was the first actual evidence we’ve had that they are actually paying attention,” Poppe said.
At the meeting, Kler presented five options, acknowledging several of them were unfeasible.
Those options are to do nothing, form a local maintenance district to secure funds and supervise the repair, let the road fail completely and get emergency funds for its repair, build a new road using purchased rights of way or buy all of the surrounding property before building.
Poppe said there was a sixth option that wasn’t offered: to change the path of the river.
“I know that I can do this,” he said. “I just don’t know if it will be allowed.”
Kler said the rerouting of the river falls under federal jurisdiction.
She warned the group to not disclose an intention to reroute the river in her presence because it would be illegal.
Both Kler and Poppe said the next step was to have another meeting in order to develop a strategy for the road’s repair or replacement.
“We are trying to be more upfront and more cautionary,” Kler said.
“I don’t think the people out there realized how many fingers in how many pies we have, trying to make it work.”
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Jefferson County Editor Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or cbermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
