Closure of Joyce Access Road draws safety and emergency-access concerns

Members of the Clallam County Trails Advisory Committee on Aug. (date on file) flagged the closure of Joyce Access Road as a growing safety issue for trail users and emergency responders.
A member of the public told the committee that, since the road’s closure, more people are parking at a narrow roadside location near Joyce–Piedmont Road that lacks safe parking and forces users to walk on or near traffic. The committee was told an emergency medical technician responding to a call was stymied by a locked bollard and did not have a key to access the closed portion of the road.
Committee members said they want to make sure emergency services have reliable access and suggested a short-term inventory and outreach: ask local fire districts whether they have keys to county bollards and, if not, help them make connections so responders can reach incident sites without delay.
County staff explained that closures of that access point are at least partially deliberate: the track is being kept closed during high fire-risk seasons and when loggers are active, and closures have been used to prevent dumping, vandalism and theft on remote roads. Staff said closures can prompt long-term access changes and that the committee should decide whether to remove the access point from trail maps if it remains closed.
Direction/next steps: the committee agreed to add the Joyce Access Road access question to the September agenda and to follow up with fire districts and public-works staff to confirm who holds keys to bollards and what options exist for coordinated emergency access.
Formal action: none; committee members requested follow-up and a future agenda item.