June 29, 2022

During a federally-declared storm event in December 2015, landslides occurred on Fern Hill Road at MP 1.0 near Rainier and on Meissner Road at MP 3.5 near Apiary. In response to the event crews with Columbia county Public Works Department temporarily stabilized the slide in order to reopen the road.

Columbia County has since obtained Federal funding to repair the damaged road sections on both roads. Contractors for the County will conduct the slide repairs this upcoming spring/summer 2023. Construction is anticipated March 2023 and run through September 2023. The work will include improving drainage, placing stone embankment protection, stabilizing the subgrade, installing guardrail for Meissner Road only, and repaving the roadway in the slide location.

Some lane restrictions and traffic delays with flaggers are anticipated during construction for Fern Hill Road, however no road closures are expected. The County will close Meissner Road for 4 weeks and set up a detour route using HWY 30 to Larson Road to Old Rainier Road and then to Apiary Road to access Meissner from the other side. The County will send out more exact dates as the project gets closer.