WHAT: The County is holding a public meeting next week on the future of the Dungeness River Levee Trail. If you supported this petition and want to see this stay a trail and not become a road, please come and voice your support at the meeting!
WHERE: Guy Cole Convention Center, 202 N. Blake Avenue, in Sequim.
WHEN: Tuesday, September 26, 2023, at 6:00 PM
Also an option to write in comments via mail, email, or online - see below!
Here is the invite sent out by the County:
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Lower Dungeness River Floodplain Restoration
Levee Surface Alternatives
(September 8, 2023)
The Lower Dungeness River Floodplain Restoration Project relocated a portion of the levee system along the lower reaches of the Dungeness River. This multi-agency effort has reconnected more than 175 acres of the river’s historic floodplain, resulting in reduced flood risk and expanded habitat for salmon and other fish and wildlife species. Within its first year, the benefits have been profound resulting in benefits to fish and wildlife, water and wetland conservation, and reduction of flow energy in the lower reach of the river during high water periods. In short, the project is meeting its goals.
Originally, the project was designed to provide for the relocation of the northern extent of Towne Road on top of the new structure. Old Towne Road would then be removed, and the former location of the road restored as part of the floodplain. However, scheduling constraints required that the new levee be constructed simultaneously with the removal of the old Towne Road in the summer of 2022. Following the construction of the new levee, the site became popular with recreationalists using the facility as a hiking trail. The elevation of the facility gave the users ample view of the restored floodplain and the wildlife that quickly inhabited the restored area. As a result of the popularity of this use, petitions were soon presented to the Board of County Commissioners, requesting that the new levee be developed as a recreational trail facility.
This upswell of support for an alternative surfacing option gave the Board reason to pause the road construction portion of the project.
In considering how to proceed with the final surfacing of the facility, there are generally four basic options from which to choose:
• Construct a two-lane (ten-foot lanes, four-foot shoulders) road to connect existing Towne Road to E. Anderson Road.
• Construct a two-lane road and separate six-foot trail surface. Given the limited 32-feet available, the road would include ten-foot-wide lanes with one-foot shoulders, and two-foot guard rails.
• Construct a one-lane, 16-foot road surface (south-bound) and a 12-foot-wide
pedestrian trail-surface; or
• Construct a pedestrian trail-surface centered on the levee. This option would require the placement of a single-use driveway access to accommodate an existing landowner.
It is anticipated that acquisition of adequate funds and construction of any of the road surface alternatives will likely take two to three years.
The Board of Clallam County Commissioners is interested in your thoughts on these alternatives. A public meeting has been scheduled for Tuesday, September 26, 2023, at 6:00 PM at the Guy Cole Convention Center, 202 N. Blake Avenue, in Sequim. The meeting will allow staff to provide clarifying information and solicit discussion on project alternatives. A public comment period has been created to receive written comments. The comment period will end on Tuesday, October 10, 2023, at 5:00 PM. Written comments may be addressed to:
Board of Clallam County Commissioners
223 E. 4th Street, Suite 4
Port Angeles, WA 98362
Emailed comments may be directed to: loni.gores@clallamcountywa.gov
Online comments may also be submitted on the County’s Dungeness Restoration webpage at: https://www.clallamcountywa.gov/184/Dungeness-Floodplain-Restoration
Thank you for your help in determining the future use of the new levee surface.