Bonner County declares road emergency

SANDPOINT — Bonner County commissioners declared a state of emergency on Wednesday due to weather-related damage to public roads.

The board adopted a resolution which cites excessive runoff from snowpack, freeze-and-thaw cycles, rain-on-snow events, and soil saturation as the cause of road damage, culvert failures and mudslides. Additional runoff is expected to exacerbate the problems which the county lacks the financial capability to repair.

The declaration could qualify the county for financial assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Bob Howard, director of Emergency Management for Bonner County, said county officials are in the process of drawing up a damage estimate for the Idaho Bureau of Homeland Security.

“They want it posthaste — as soon as possible — so they can get this rolling,” said Howard.

In order to qualify for the federal assistance, there would have to be more than $1.6 million in damages throughout the state, said Jay Baker, Panhandle field officer for the state Bureau of Homeland Security.

It is not immediately clear how long it might take for a determination on the federal funding.

“There are so many variables out there it’s very difficult to estimate,” Baker said.

The possibility for financial assistance comes a week after Road & Bridge Director Ryan Luttmann advised commissioners that the necessary road repairs outstretch the county’s budget.

Saturation of soils underlying Dufort Road are suspected of causing the road to slough toward the Pend Oreille River near Priest River. East River Road north of Priest River is also failing.

“It’s passable. I don’t think it’s going to be for very long,” said Commissioner Cornel Rasor, emphasizing that’s his lay opinion.

Rasor, who assessed the East River blowout earlier this month, said a hillside is sliding down toward Upper Priest River.

The repairs on East River Road are projected to reach $2 million. No damage estimate was given for Dufort Road.

Other problems are developing on Eureka, North Center Valley and Forest Siding roads, in addition to Wells Lane.

Landowners on county-maintained roads have been pleading with the commissioners to address the situation, but the board said conditions remain too wet to put heavy machinery on them.

“A grader will absolutely make it worse,” Chairman Lewis Rich said.

Landowners on public roads which are too substandard to be maintained by the county are on their own when it comes to maintenance and repairs.

Luttmann said his office is working up the damage estimates for Idaho Homeland Security.

“There still no guarantee that the money’s going to be there,” he said.