Forest Road 23, located in the Gifford Pinchot national forest, slid away into the Cispus River during the recent flooding. FR23 connects the town of Randle to Trout Lake, just south of Mount Adams.
Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler, R-Wash., recently sent a letter to the federal Department of Transportation urging the timely release of emergency funds to repair numerous popular forest roads inside the Gifford Pinchot National Forest that were damaged during winter storms at the end of 2015.
The letter, postmarked May 10, was sent to U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx and specifically requested Emergency Relief for Federally Owned Roads (ERFO) funds in order to repair the major route of Forest Road 23, as well as Forest Service roads 24, 25 and 26.
The well-traveled north end of Forest Road 23 was particularly impacted by flooding and mudslides that hit the forest roads during the fierce winter storms. The Forest Service has indicated that without funding for the repairs the roads will be left impassable until at least 2017. In her letter to the USDOT, Herrera Beutler called the urgent repair of Forest Road 23 “the highest priority for road repairs on the GPNF (Gifford Pinchot National Forest)t”.
In her letter, the congresswoman explained that, “Forest Road 23 is integral to the GPNF. It connects Trout Lake and the Cowlitz River Valley, which is a popular route and the major thoroughfare for many residents and visitors alike in the summer months.”
Herrera Beutler’s letter also noted closures of Forest Service roads 24, 25 and 26, “which leaves motorists in the area with few options.” She categorized the road closures as “a major blow to rural residents,” noting that, “it will severely restrict recreational opportunities and negatively impact the local recreational economy and the jobs it supports.”
In an email, Herrera Beutler explained that she was first alerted to the Forest Service road issues by the Cowlitz Basin Off Road Vehicle Club and was then reminded of the ongoing forest access issues by the Lewis County commissioners during a tour of the Toledo wastewater management facility earlier this month.
As part of her due diligence, prior to sending the letter to the USDOT, Herrera Beutler contacted the U.S. Forest Service in order to learn more about the road issues. The Forest Service indicated that Forest Road 23 had suffered the most significant damage and that their department had already applied for ERFO funds. The USFS added that without those funds they will not be able to begin repairs and reopen the roads until 2017 due to the complexity and expense of the repairs.
In her letter to the USDOT, Herrera Beutler called any delay of the road repairs “unacceptable.”
This is not the first time that Herrera Beutler has called on the USDOT to expedite funds for local road repairs. In November of 2015, she urged the department to release emergency repair funds for State Route 411 north of Kelso after storms damaged the road. The USDOT ultimately released those emergency funds.
Asked whether she believes her recent letter will net the same results this time, the congresswoman replied, “I am hopeful that it will,” and noted that she will “be following up to obtain a quick response.”
In a phone message, Herrera Beutler explained that the issue is important to her because, “residents are concerned about it,” and called the limited forest access “a pretty big deal.”
She added that her concerns extend beyond recreational impacts, stating that, “I’m also kind of concerned about fire and that type of issue.”
