Citizens, Centralia Officials Spar Over Trail Access Off Goodrich Road

Action is being taken at the entrance to the Discovery Trail, located the end of Goodrich Road northwest of Centralia, in an attempt to address recent reports of criminal activity, drug use and general nuisance behavior in the area.

Centralia Public Works Director Kim Ashmore and Lewis County Public Works Director Josh Metcalf have collaborated to try a variety of short-term solutions designed to stem the problem while exploring long-term options such as moving the turnaround area used as a parking lot or allowing access to the trail from another location.

Large concrete blocks currently block the entrance to the lot at the end of the road, which falls under Lewis County’s jurisdiction. A gate has been installed at the entrance to the trail, which is managed by the city of Centralia. Ashmore said at Tuesday’s city council meeting that the plan is to have workers at the city’s nearby wastewater treatment plant open the gate at 7 a.m. and close it at 3:30 p.m. on a daily basis for at least the next few months.

Residents of the area, including those who have asked for assistance at city council meetings, say they were not consulted on the changes, that they pose safety issues and are unlikely to be effective.

“We are simply asking, we are a neighborhood of residents and taxpayers that see an alternative that is not being seriously considered by the city,” Stacy Kaech said during the public comment period of the council meeting. “We want the access to Discovery Trail on Goodrich Road closed. The city can relocate it at their convenience. It should not be at our expense and patrolling to keep this open.”

The Discovery Trail has been a popular spot for locals to walk their dogs, have access to the Chehalis River and recreate outdoors since 2006. Lewis County, Centralia and the Chehalis River Basin Land Trust entered into an agreement in 2003 that gave the city jurisdiction of the trail.

Included in that agreement was the creation of a parking area just outside the trail meant to also serve as space for large vehicles such as garbage and fire trucks to safely turn around. The agreement also states that if that was to be the permanent turnaround for emergency vehicles, it would no longer be used as a parking lot.

Ashmore said Tuesday that he met with Riverside Fire Authority Chief Mike Kytta, who said there would still be enough space for fire trucks to turn around by using existing driveways on either side of the street if needed.

When the gate is closed, there is not enough room for passenger vehicles to turn around without using a private driveway. City and county officials are collaborating on signs to be installed far enough up the road that drivers have ample warning before they’re in a bind, or worse, find themselves locked behind the gate after using the trail.

“It’ll probably take a little bit of education, because I can picture our guys going down to close the gate at 3:30 and there’s a car parked there. … we don’t want to lock someone in there that’s using the trail, but we have to educate them about the new hours.”

Members of the city council voiced their concern for residents of Goodrich Road and the future of the Discovery Trail following Kaech’s testimony Tuesday evening.

Mayor Pro-tem Max Vogt read two letters submitted by Centralia residents in defense of the trail, both of which mentioned their own positive experiences on the property. One letter from a trail user stated in part that “I have never seen anyone who I would consider a threat. Quite the opposite … I am very surprised at the newspaper article that was written without all the pertinent facts.”

Councilor Peter Abbarno addressed the issue about 15 minutes after Kaech finished speaking. He hopes the city will reach out to the residents there before the next council meeting in order to include them in the decision-making process going forward.

“To the neighbors on Goodrich Road, all I can say is I’m sorry, and I’m embarrassed,” Abbarno said. “City government, like any other government, tries to be proactive, and I think the city of Centralia is proactive on a lot of issues, but there are occasionally situations where we are reactive. When we are reactive, it’s incumbent upon our staff, the city council, and all of us to do it right. It appears that this is one of those situations where maybe there was a good intention on a solution, but it wasn’t a solution for the neighbors, and it wasn’t the right solution.”