The spotlight is always on counties when we undertake a big public works project: building a roundabout at a busy intersection, repairing sewer mains along a crowded street, or improving habitat in a critical area. A momentous mile marker has just been achieved in one such public work, namely the 15-year-long project to expand the Lower Dungeness floodplain and to rebuild Towne Road.

All grants have been closed out and we can finally review the project in its totality.

If you lived, drove or recreated in the Dungeness area over the past few years then you certainly experienced some impact from this project. You may have been inconvenienced by the road closure or construction noise and traffic. Perhaps you are now birdwatching along the restored floodplain habitat as it attracts new wildlife, or utilizing the dedicated roadside trail. Some have merely digested years’ worth of online vitriol alleging cost overruns and mismanagement related to this project and may be experiencing chronic indigestion.

Around 2008, momentum began to build around a concept to expand and restore a significant portion of the Dungeness River’s floodplain by building a new, modern and safe levee away from the river. As it took shape the project aimed to improve habitat, including critical habitat for endangered salmon species, while mitigating flooding concerns.

This project was funded by nine separate state grants totaling more than $22 million, mostly through the “Floodplains by Design” program and the Washington Recreation and Conservation Office. This complex patchwork of funding covered all expenses related to planning, design, land acquisition, floodplain restoration and construction.

Significant changes occurred as the project progressed, including the Army Corps of Engineers unexpectedly pulling out as project manager in 2016, the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and the potential for the adjacent and complimentary “River’s Edge” levee setback project made possible by the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe and the North Olympic Land Trust.

By the spring of 2022 the “River’s Edge” upstream project and the county’s downstream project construction timelines were no longer in alignment which resulted in a lack of levee connectivity between the “upriver” and “downriver” projects, creating a potential for flood risk. An emergency was declared and we began to work on a plan to ensure residents’ safety.

What transpired next was nothing short of amazing. The county worked closely with our contractor to complete in three months the work originally intended to take place throughout 2023.

The Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe stepped up and spent more than $1 million to remove the old levy while our contractors were building the new one.

The levees were connected to provide necessary flood protection. And, importantly, the historic Towne Road and all of its attendant contaminated soil was removed from the middle of this brand new floodplain. All of this work was completed just ahead of a major flooding event that tested the integrity of the new system, which passed with flying colors.

Next came consideration of how to move forward with re-connecting Towne Road. After processing a tremendous amount of public input, the director of community development recommended a road design that would include a pedestrian trail and our public works team got to work on designing this unique section of road.

We worked through a maze of state and federal permitting steps, including incorporating new stormwater runoff technology to protect the sensitive areas. All work was completed and the new Towne Road opened to the public on October 8, 2024.

Way back in the early 2000’s, the county estimated the cost of simply re-doing Towne Road in place at $1.2 million in local dollars. Thanks to great support from state funders and a dedicated and creative team at the county, residents ended up with a restored floodplain habitat, improved protection against flooding, a section of county road with the most modern stormwater technology, a guardrail for safety and an elevated, dedicated pedestrian trail.

Total cost to local taxpayers was less than $1.1 million. Please join me in celebrating this remarkable effort.