Planning underway for repairs to mudslide damaged roads

City officials are predicting that work to repair roadways and hillsides impacted by the heavy December rainfall will begin this summer or fall.

Two of the city’s roads — Forest Home Road and Lacamas Lane — were significantly damaged by land slides.

Forest Home Road closed in early December when two slides, one 180 feet and the other 50 feet long, undercut the road. It has not re-opened since, and will remain closed until repairs are complete.

A large portion of the money needed to complete the work will come from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration. The federal emergency relief funds will support 86.5 percent of the cost. The city’s share is 13.5 percent.

Lacamas Lane between Northwest 44th Avenue and Lake Road was closed for a period of time in December and January, but reopened on a temporary basis in early February as plans for its repair began.

“More than likely, as we go through the repairs, there will be half-lane closures and potentially full-lane closures,” said Public Works Director Steve Wall during a recent city council meeting.

Money from the Federal Emergency Management Agency will pay for 75 percent of the cost, while the city will pay the remaining 25 percent.

“At this point we really haven’t done enough investigation to know the exact limits of each project,” Wall said.

Consultants are in the process of being hired by the city for both projects, to determine the exact extent of the damage and the scope of the projects required to fix them.

On Monday, the Camas City Council approved a $95,483 professional services contract with HDJ Design Group for environmental documentation, permitting and design for the Forest Home Road project.