Trail Section Closed To Fix Flood Damage

A mile-long stretch of the Centennial Trail closed this week so workers can repair damage caused by flooding last winter.

The stretch between Flora and Barker roads is expected to reopen in late November. Repair costs are expected to total about $73,000.

Flood waters from the Spokane River last February caused dirt along the trail and underneath it to erode. In turn, portions of the trail collapsed.

“The trail actually washed out,” in places, said Wyn Birkenthal, county parks and recreation manager.

Worried that flooding again this winter would completely wipe out stretches of the trail, the parks department filed for relief from the Federal Emergency Management Agency shortly after the flooding.

But the repairs were delayed because the two agencies differed greatly on damage estimates, Birkenthal said.

FEMA engineers estimated damages at about $18,000. Parks department estimates were about $52,000 higher, prompting a formal appeal of the assessment.

However, the appeal process has been slow. And discussions with FEMA about refiguring its estimate have not been fruitful, Birkenthal said.

“The project was kind of hung up in this rigamarole,” he said.

Finally, the parks department couldn’t wait any longer and hired A and M Landscaping.

Although parks department money is currently funding the work, Birkenthal is confident the county will work things out with FEMA.

“We just decided in order to beat the winter weather, we needed to start now,” Birkenthal said. “We think in the end FEMA will reconsider the project and provide reimbursement.”

Workers posted signs announcing the trail’s closure on Monday. Repair work, which Birkenthal called a “bioengineering solution,” began Tuesday.

“Instead of just throwing rocks and concrete, we’re actually building up the trail shoulder with earth,” Birkenthal said.

The use of dirt will be easier on the river, plants and animals around the trail should flooding again damage it, Birkenthal said.

, DataTimes