The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

Emergency repairs only, in 2021

DAYTON—The Board of County Commissioners approved and adopted several resolutions presented by the Public Works Director Chuck Eaton at their December 11 meeting. Resolutions include the County Arterial Preservation Program, the Annual Construction Program, The Capital Facility Plan, and the 2021-26 Six-year Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP).

Eaton said 31 projects, a higher number than usual, are listed on the TIP. The increased number of projects is due to damage caused during the Feb. 2020 flood event, Eaton said. The county has secured funding for some of the projects, but it will be a struggle to pay for others over the next three to four years. He said the most critical year is 2021.

“We are basically running on fumes over the next three-year cycle,” Eaton told the board.

The county has prioritized emergency repairs for Patit Road, the North Touchet Road, Tucannon Road, and Bosley Bridge on the Tucannon Road.

Eaton said Tucannon Road has a serviceability life of fewer than five years. The portion in need of repair most is from milepost 5 to Marengo. Eaton said the bridge on Baileysburg Road is slated for replacement because it is classified as structurally deficient due to the flood damage. A second bridge, on South Touchet Road, has also fallen into the structurally deficient category.

Eaton is working to identify emergency funds from federal highway grants to pay for the Star Bridge Levee Extension project.

The only road to be included in the 2021 Chip Seal program will be South Touchet Road.

The Annual Construction Program contains 6.1 million worth of projects.

There are 22 projects in the six-year Capital Facility Plan. Eaton said the plan includes the HVAC system project for the courthouse, which is fully funded.

Flood control zone district update

Eaton is also the Flood Control Zone District manager.

He reported the US Army Corps of Engineers had finished repairs to the Dayton levee. The Corps will not make improvements to the Dayton extension levee since it sustained no structural damage and is ineligible for emergency funding.

As the sponsor of the Dayton levee extension, the county is responsible for repairs, he said. Funds have been set aside in the budget for repairs.

Eaton said repairs had been completed on the Star levee.

The Washington State Department of Parks and Recreation and the Town of Starbuck are required to provide 20% matches for repairs to the Camp Wooten and Starbuck Levee. The work on the levee is to be performed by the Corps. In Feb., a breach in a “homeless” levee located in the now-defunct Coppei Flood Control Zone District caused flooding over Gallagher Road. The Walla Walla County Commissioners are aware of the situation, said Eaton.

Permits have not yet been issued for woody debris removal from the South Tucannon River and Patit Creek.

Permits have also not yet been issued for the removal of granular debris from the South Touchet River. Up to five-feet of material has been deposited in some areas. A biological assessment and the environmental permitting process must be completed, which is estimated to take about six months.

Eaton and the commissioners briefly touched on whether county crews could perform heavy “scalping” of granular material under the Hwy 12 bridge and railroad bridge west of Dayton.

He said he would continue to get an emergency flood declaration in place to remove granular material.

An advisory committee for the FCZD will be formed in 2021, and Eaton will provide a capital plan to the BOCC for approval.

Update on Law and Justice Center

Emergency Management Department Director Ashley Strickland presented a contract between the county and Architects Design Group/Center for Public Safety for the BOCC to sign. The Architects Design Group/Center for Public Safety will conduct the feasibility and needs assessment for the proposed Law and Justice Center.

The company will meet with the BOCC and county department heads to assess the Law and Justice Center’s proposed site.

County Prosecuting Attorney Dale Slack has written the articles of incorporation to set up a Law and Justice Center nonprofit organization, and Amy Rosenburg has been hired to work on identifying and applying for grants.