Small Town News

Estimate: over $4 million in damage to forest roads

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Floods of 2010

A special meeting was held at the Payette National Forest Supervisors Office in McCall on Wednesday afternoon where Adams County officials met with Forest Service personnel and state officers to discuss how the joint efforts to fix forest roads would work.

Commissioner Mike Paradis said the meeting was very informative, and that the Forest Service informed the county that they are in the process of trying to land what is called ERFO funds, (Emergency Relief for Federally Owned Roads).

Once those funds are landed, repair work can commence.

Paradis noted that both the Wildhorse Road and the Middle Fork Road are technically Forest Service roads for which the county has an easement, which grants them jurisdiction over them. For that reason, long term repairs will need to be paid out of the ERFO bucket, as opposed to the FEMA money the county hopes to land for other damaged roads.

The Forest Service passed out a sheet that described damage across the forest. The sheet also made cost estimates for repairs, which totaled just under $4 million dollars. $1, 775, 000 of this damage took place on the Council Ranger District. The Forest Service estimates that it will cost roughly a million dollars to fix the two major culverts and the washed out road on the Middle Fork above Cabin Creek.

Other damage on the Council Ranger District was described thusly:

Joker Creek Road (#486) has a culvert partially washed out and the road has eroded. It is currently passable. The repair estimate is $85, 000.

Bench Creek Spur (#487) has a plugged pipe, but remains passable. Repair costs are estimated at $2, 000.

Dewey Creek (#487) has a plugged pipe and there is considerable debris on the road. It remains passable for high clearance vehicles. Estimated cost: $8, 000

Grossen Canyon Road (#524) has a major pipe completely washed out. The road is closed. Estimated cost: $85, 000.

Mill Creek Road (#165) has a twin pipe partially washed out with ditches and fills suffering major erosion. The road remains passable. Estimated cost: $175, 000.

Jungle Creek Road (#192) has a major pipe plugged and the road is partially washed out at Jungle Creek. The road impassable at this time. Estimated cost: $85, 000.

Little Creek Road (#692) is impassable as the Little Creek is flowing down the road. Estimated cost: $12, 000.

White Licks (#591) has a large slump on the road and is impassable. Estimated cost: $30, 000.

Bar Creek (#517) has several large boulders blocking the road and is impassable. Estimated cost: $3, 000.

Wildhorse Road (#070) is closed to general traffic, though the county has managed to make it passable for residents. There remains bridge abutment damage and large portions of the road washed out. Estimated cost: $175, 000.



Copyright 2010 The Adams County Record, Council, Idaho. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from SmallTownPapers, Inc.

© 2011 The Adams County Record Council, Idaho. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from DAS.

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