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The county crew: from left to right are Columbia County's Road Forman Greg Fullerton, Assistant Public Works Director Amber Phinney, Project Manager Jeff McCowen, Assistant Business Manager Leane Kent, Commissioner Marty Hall, Operator Lisha Thomas, Engineer Walter (Grant) Morgan and Office Assistant Stephanie Konen, began the clearing and grubbing process on the Bowman Hill on Lower Hogeye Road project last week. The project has been in the works for over 10 years as well as the Vernon Smith Bridge. "Anderson Perry Engineering in Walla Walla has been instrumental in helping the county to rapidly accelerate these projects to construction," said Morgan.
DAYTON–The County has either completed or is currently under construction this year on four projects totaling 8.2 million dollars in grant funding. The projects are the Tucannon Road Reconstruction Project $1,200,000; 2023 Pavement Preservation Project $1,200,000; Vernon Smith Bridge Replacement Project $3,500,000; and the Bowman Hill/Lower Hogeye Road Reconstruction Project $2,300,000. In addition, the County maintenance crews have been doing a great job aggressively pursuing a backlog of urgently needed maintenance projects.
The County has also secured approximately 20.5 million dollars, 13 million in 2023, of grant funding for seven other projects, which are currently under design/development. Those projects include Phase 2 and 3 Kellogg-Hollow Road Reconstruction $5,835,170; Bailysburg Bridge Replacement $6,400,000; Eaton Bridge Replacement $2,696,000, Rural Road Safety Plan $100,000, Rural Road Safety Project $590,000; South Touchet Bridge Repair $500,000; and the Starbuck/Tucannon River Bridge Replacement Project $4,500,000. The design of these projects is being completed by both Engineering Consultants and County Engineering Staff. Nicholls Kovich Engineering out of Spokane has nearly completed the design phase of Starbuck/Tucannon River Bridge, which is scheduled for construction in 2024.
Projects currently under construction are Bowman Hill/Lower Hogeye Road Reconstruction Project, the Vernon Smith Bridge Replacement Project over the Touchet River on Rose Gulch Road, and the Tucannon Road Reconstruction project from Turner Grade/Marengo Grade Road Intersection to first bridge upstream. The Tucannon Road was damaged during the February 2020 flooding event.
The Bowman Hill /Lower Hogeye Road Project involves fully reconstructing a 2.5-mile section of road to a 28-foot-wide roadway, including placing new guardrail on the Bowman Hill portion of the road. The project begins at the intersection of U.S. 12 and ends at the intersection of Hogeye Hollow Road. County forces are doing the earthwork, pipe work and constructing the Bituminous Surface Treatment.
A contractor will be doing the work for the grinding up of the old roadway surface, constructing the new gravel base, gravel surfacing and installing new guardrail. The public can expect road closures and minor delays during working hours 6:15 a.m. to 4:15 p.m., Monday to Thursday.
The county's earthwork and pipe work are scheduled to be completed this year, weather dependent and the Bituminous Surface Treatment will be constructed next June 2024 when temperatures and weather allow. The contract work is anticipated to begin after the first of the year. Weather and freezing conditions could delay the work over the winter.
The Vernon Smith Bridge Replacement project involves the replacement of the existing bridge over the Touchet River on Rose Gulch Road and rebuilding and paving the Rose Gulch Road from U.S. 12 to the Konen Rock Quarry. The project is scheduled to be completed in August 2024. Minor delays can be expected during construction; however, most of the project is being constructed outside of the existing road. The new bridge is being constructed upstream of the existing bridge.
The contractor on the Tucannon Road Project is expected to begin construction by November 2024. Most of the work will be completed this year except for the Bituminous Surface Treatment, which will be completed in June 2024 when temperatures and weather allow. The road will remain open during construction; however, traffic should expect minor traffic delays.
-Submitted by Grant Morgan, County Engineer
