Hearing set for proposed road vacation

County commissioners Monday approved a public notice for a proposed vacation of County Road 8480, a piece of right-of-way ground of the former Inland Empire Highway.

The strip of land, described as a hundred feet wide by several hundred feet long, is at the corner of Highway 195 and Old Wawawai Road by Hinrichs Trading Company.

“Part of an old state highway system that no longer exists,” said Mark Storey, Public Works director.

The matter came up by petition from adjacent landowners, who found out from a surveyor that an old right-of-way claim existed on the land.

Last August, the landowners paid the required $500 fee to Whitman County for the road vacation process.

“This is not a traveled road. It hasn't been a traveled road since about 1950,” said Storey.

The public hearing is set for Feb. 3 at 11 a.m.

When a road or former right-of-way is vacated, it means the county no longer maintains it or has any claim to it.

WINTER COMING?

Also Monday, Brandon Kruger, county road operations manager, gave an update to commissioners, noting grading and ditch work amidst the light winter so far.

“From the current forecast, it looks like winter might be upon us,” he said.