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Crow, File roads could be dropped by county

Two little-used ag roads in the Oakesdale area are being proposed for abandonment by Whitman County officials.

Phil Meyer, maintenance and operations manager for the county road department, told county commissioners Monday they intend to abandon Crow Road and a segment of the File Road off the county grid.

Crow Road is due west of Oakesdale. The short stretch of road provides a connection between Trestle Creek and Eckhart roads.

There are no homes on the Crow Road, but an abandoned farmstead sits on the hillside above it. Land around the road is farmed by the Crow family.

File Road is a dirt road that intersects with the west side of 271 at two points. The county wants to abandon the segment of File Road from its south intersection of 271 west to the Cougar Mountain Road. Meyer added railroad officials have told them the road may need to be shut down when they repair a trestle that goes over the road on the west side of 271.

While the county eyes abandonment of the File and Crow roads, officials are still awaiting Prosecutor Denis Tracy’s opinion on two other road abandonments which were placed on hold this spring.

Campbell Road, near Tekoa, and the Mac Hatley Road, south Ewartsville, were on the list to be abandoned in February, but lawyers for the families who own adjacent land brought into question the legality of abandoning roads with bridges.

Richard Perednia, attorney for the Loucks family, which owns land next to the Campbell Road, said at the time state law does not allow public agencies to vacate roads that abut fresh water unless it is done to establish a marina or for industrial development.

Campbell Road crosses Hangman Creek south of the Tekoa golf course. Mac Hatley Road crosses Union Flat Creek south of Ewartsville.

Tracy Monday said he is still reviewing applicable laws.

Abandonment of two other roads, Klemgard Road east of Ewartsville, and Pazer Road, off the Almota Road south of Colfax, was approved. Those abandonments were proposed at the same time the Campbell and Hatley roads were proposed.

Public hearings on the File and Crow abandonments will be Monday, Aug. 30, at 11 a.m. in the county commissioner chambers.

 

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