County engineer discusses partnering with Forest Service on road maintenance and emergency response

Josh Thompson, Okanagan County Engineer, briefed the commissioners on ongoing road maintenance and coordination efforts with the U.S. Forest Service. Thompson said the Forest Service’s Good Neighbor Authority could enable agreements that let the county perform additional maintenance work on shared routes as part of multi‑year projects—examples include pulverize, add base, and chip‑seal sequences on forest roads where the service’s contractor does major rehabilitation and the county could follow with a finishing shot.

Thompson also described meetings with district Forest Service staff about continuing maintenance, the use of Viper and other federal vendor systems for contractor prequalification, and the need for local contractors to register in those systems to access Forest Service work. He said some local contractors have resisted the registration process but that the Forest Service has run occasional workshops to encourage participation.

On infrastructure, Thompson reported that a state highway bridge at Gold Creek has deteriorated to the point of lane closure and Jersey barrier protection; he said DOT is pursuing emergency repairs and that the county should consider writing to state DOT leadership to emphasize immediate safety concerns and to seek prioritization. Thompson said he will follow up with DOT and recommended the county send a letter highlighting the risk to motorists and regional connectivity.

Why it matters: Coordinated maintenance can reduce duplicative work and offer more timely repairs for rural residents. Contractor prequalification on federal systems directly affects local economic participation in forest work. The Gold Creek bridge issue affects travel safety and county roads that would be used as detours if the bridge is further restricted.

Next steps: Thompson will continue negotiations regarding Good Neighbor agreements, pursue workshops to assist local contractors with registration and prequalification, and draft a letter to DOT regarding the Gold Creek bridge condition and emergency schedule.