Commissioners hearing road plans

Wahkiakum County commissioners have scheduled public hearings on their proposed annual and six year road programs and the ferry improvement plan.

The hearings will be during next Tuesday's meeting of the board starting at 10:30 a.m.

State and federal funding agencies require annual evaluation of the programs.

Public Works Director Pete Ringen has listed 15 possible projects on the 2012 Annual Construction Program. These include:

1. East Valley settlement: The upper end of the road settled during past severe rain events, and the county has been working to obtain disaster relief funds for the work. Engineering and construction could total $500,000 in disaster funds.

2. Ferry replacement: The county hopes to go to bid on a new ferry in 2012, with $2.8 million in federal funds and $1 million in state funds, possibly leaving the county to cover around $150,000.

3. Upper Elochoman Valley Road rehabilitation: A $33,000 project, $23,000 county funds.

4. Clear Creek Fish Passage Design: A $40,000 project to replace an outdated culvert with a bridge, with the county paying $2,000.

5. Elochoman Valley Road realignment: A companion to the fish passage project totalling $37,000, with the county paying $22,000.

6. Ingalls Road: A $33,000 project to realign the interesection with SR 4 with the county paying $3,000.

7. County wide road runoff and intersection improvements: Totalling up to $840,000 in state funds.

8. Loop Road slope repair study: A $10,000 county funded project to determine a means of addressing a sliding issue on Loop Road.

9. Small construction projects: The program each year has this category to cover small projects that appear throughout the year, with $39,000 in county funds.

10. Major culvert repair county wide: The county has received matching grant funding for improving culverts, with $70,000 totalled and including $35,000 in county funds.

11. Upper Elochoman Valley Road Culvert Replacement A: A $70,000 project with $7,000 in county funds.

12. Beaver Creek Road improvements: Paving work totalling $350,000 with $35,000 in county funds.

13. Upper Elochoman Valley Road Culvert Replacement B: A $70,000 project with $7,000 in county funds.

14. West Deep River Dike Road repairs: A project to address embankment failure with $30,000 in county funds.

15. Brooks Slough Bridge pier confinement: A project to address a deteriorating pier supporting the bridge totalling $70,000, with $9,000 in county funds.

Projects anticipated for 2013 include Covered Bridge Road realignment away from an eroding area, North Welcome Slough Road resurfacing, improvements to Altoona-Pillar Rock Road, and Oneida Road widening.

Projects anticipated to start in 2014 include Loop Road flood improvements--raising a portion to maintain access during flooding, and Elochoman Valley Road improvements.

Projects anticipated to start in 2015 include replacing a 9-foot culvert on Eden Valley Road, and improvements to Altoona-Pillar Rock Road.