Floods Gouge Trail

Centennial Trail

Rain and melting snow last month pushed the Spokane River to its highest levels in 22 years, undermining portions of the Centennial Trail.

The water washed earth from under the trail in several spots near Barker Road in the Spokane Valley.

In some places, the asphalt trail is intact and looks as if it could support people, said county parks manager Wyn Birkenthal. But there’s “virtually nothing” under the outer edge, he said.

Although the trail remains open, the usable portion is only one or two feet wide in places, Birkenthal said. The trouble areas are marked with orange construction fences.

“There’s an obvious danger of bike-to-bike collisions,” he said.

Engineers estimate it will cost at least $50,000 to repair the damage. Birkenthal called that “a very raw estimate,” and said the county has asked the state Parks and Recreation Commission to help pay for the work.

The repairs, which will require rip-rap or other shoreline structures to prevent future damage, should be done by summer, he said. Meanwhile, some routine maintenance work may be neglected, since the trail won’t support trucks or repair equipment.

, DataTimes