Dungeness/Towne Rd Levee Updates

Towne Road Project Overview, June 9, 2025

Click here for an overview of the 15-year project along the Dungeness River consisting of the relocation of Towne Road and setback of the US Army Corps of Engineers levee presented by the Clallam County Administrator, Todd Mielke on June 9, 2025.

Lower Dungeness Levee Project Update, October 9, 2024

It is with great joy that we can now say “the road and trail are open!” Crews completed the last of the asphalting and surface work on Tuesday, October 8^th.

There remains some minor work that will continue through the end of the month and possibly into early November, including removal of temporary erosion and sediment control measures, completion of striping, hydroseeding of exposed slopes and other disturbed areas, removal of barriers and construction materials, and other incidental tasks.

As a new chipseal surface, the road surface will likely be chip-sealed and striped again in 2025. Ongoing monitoring of water quality and river morphology within the reconnected floodplain will continue into the future. We appreciate the public’s patience during this project and look forward to the many benefits that are anticipated with the completion of the project.

Lower Dungeness Levee Project Update, September 25, 2024

Since our last post, construction has progressed on the relocated road, separated path, realigned intersection, and stormwater treatment. Work that remains on the project includes:

Intersection completion at north end
Guardrail at north end
Stormwater treatment at north end
Parking area at south end, and
Chip seal of road surface

Levee surface

The levee surface is being graded and gravel applied to prepare for chip seal. It is expected this work will be completed within the coming week.

Guardrail, surface with initial gravel, and separated pathway

Separated path constructed

The separated, elevated path on the river side of the levee is built. The curb-separated, elevated path extends from the north levee near Dungeness Schoolhouse, along the length of newly relocated Towne Road. The path varies in width from about 6’ to 11’.

Compost amended vegetated filter strip

On the side of the levee facing away from the river, a compost amended vegetated filter strip (CAVFS) has been installed to treat stormwater that makes its way from the road surface, down the slope of the levee. The system is designed to treat water that slowly infiltrates through the CAVFS. Initially the plans called for using on-site topsoil as part of the system. The onsite soil was determined to have weed seeds, so it was removed and weed-free, compost-amended topsoil was brought in for the CAVFS.

Guardrails installed

Guardrails are installed from the south end of the relocated road to the north levee. Additional guardrails will be installed as work at the north end progresses.

Guardrail and CAVFS

Parking area and connector trail created

A parking area and access path are being constructed to provide pedestrian connection from the south end parking area to the new trail facility atop the setback levee.

Traffic barrier on causeway installed

The road section across the ‘causeway’ from Anderson Road/Sequim Dungeness Way is being prepared for chip seal. The causeway required a ‘traffic barrier’ to assure that traffic safely crosses the steep slopes of this portion of the structure.

Concrete traffic barrier on causeway

Realigned intersection

Work to realign the intersection at Anderson Road/Sequim Dungeness Way is underway. Crews have installed stormwater piping and catch basins and will be installing a stormwater treatment facility (bio-swale). The Towne Road approach to the intersection will be paved with hot mix asphalt back to the traffic barrier mentioned above. The realigned north leg of Sequim-Dungeness Way will also be paved with hot mix asphalt. Hot mix asphalt is a more appropriate surfacing for intersections. Stop signs will be installed for a two-way stop at Towne Road and the north leg of Sequim-Dungeness Way.

Crew installs stormwater collection and conveyance at realigned intersection

Next steps

The surface of the relocated road will be chip sealed. This work is weather-dependent and requires a predictable dry period. Hydroseed will be applied to the CAVFS, stormwater bioswale, and surfaces that were disturbed during construction—such as some of the levee side slopes. The realigned approaches at Sequim Dungeness Way and Towne Road will be paved with asphalt and guardrails completed. Because of cooler weather, additional time is needed for the chipseal to cure. Because of this and the scope of remaining tasks, it is expected that the work will be completed and the road opened to public use by the end of October.

Lower Dungeness Levee Project Update, July 23, 2024

Project Status: The work by Nordland Construction NW on the lower Towne Road portion of the Dungeness Levee is progressing as planned. With the final 404 Permit Modification having been issued by the Army Corps of Engineers on July 18, 2024, work on the new stormwater treatment facility has been authorized and will commence in the coming weeks. To date, the Levee surface has been cut to subgrade, the curb installed, and the abutting trail has also been brought to subgrade. The final subgrade has been achieved at the intersection of the new Towne Road with E. Anderson Road at Sequim-Dungeness Way. Also, the landward side of the Levee crest has been rebuilt to increase stability and provided for expanded width without expanding the structural footprint.

Preparatory work is underway for the completion of concrete barriers (sidewalls) along the narrow causeway between the North Levee and the intersection at E. Anderson Road (See Figure 1, below). Since this portion of the elevated Towne Road was not constructed as part of the levee system, it has a much narrower footprint and steeper sidewalls. The need to provide for motor vehicle safety requires the inclusion of the concrete sidewalls along this stretch.

Figure 1. Lower Dungeness Levee Project Site Plan

Additionally, the design of the trail network has been modified slightly to include a six-foot trail nexus from the roadside parking area to the south of the Levee to the intersection of the Towne Road Levee and the River’s Edge Levee (See Figure 1 above and Figure 2, below). The new trail segment will provide safe pedestrian access to the Levee trail system that is separated from the road by a narrow grass strip.

Figure 2. Connector Trail from south parking to Levee Trail.

Project Completion. Nordland Construction NW is on schedule to complete their work in late August or early September. The County will be ready to provide chipseal and final striping shortly thereafter. The project remains on schedule to be completed by the end of September 2024.

Lower Dungeness Levee Project Update, July 18, 2024

US Army Corps of Engineers has approved the change in stormwater treatment system for the portion of the levee surface that includes the relocated Towne Road: Approval Letter

Lower Dungeness Levee Project Update, June 17, 2024

Project Schedule: Work on the lower Towne Road portion of the Lower Dungeness Levee project is currently underway. Nordland Construction NW will be performing the majority of the work, which is scheduled to proceed through the first week of August 2024. Currently, the work schedule includes Mondays through Saturdays from 6:00 AM to 4:30 PM. During these times, foot traffic will not be allowed on the Towne Road portion of the Levee. Work at the intersection of Anderson Road and Sequim-Dungeness Way is expected to occur sometime in early July. Minor traffic delays and controlled routing may be expected during this time.

Upon completion of the work by Nordland Construction, the Clallam County Road Department will finish the road surfacing with a chipseal surface. Full project completion is expected to occur by the end of August 2024. More information will be provided as work proceeds.

Lower Dungeness Levee Project Update, May 29, 2024

Project Status: The final portion of the Lower Dungeness River Floodplain Restoration Project is in the final stages of planning and permit modifications. With final design complete, the Board of Clallam County Commissioners issued a call for bids on April 9^th. A total of four competitive bids were received by the bid opening on May 7^th. On May 14^th, following a recommendation by the County Public Works Department and Department of Community Development, the Board of County Commissioners took action to award the project to Nordland Construction NW.

Figure 1. Lower Dungeness Levee Project Site Plan

Final Design. The final design includes a two-lane road surface, consisting of a 14-foot-wide northbound lane, variable 12 to 14-foot-wide southbound lane, and abutting trail next to the road surface separated by a six-inch elevated curb (see Figure 2, below). The elevated trail surface ranges from 8 to 12-feet in width. For an approximate 350-foot portion of the project, the elevated trail will have an improved width of six feet.

The planned trail will connect the non-motorized trails on the North Levee and the River’s Edge Levee (see Figure 1, above). Because the road surface is sloped in a single, consistent direction to facilitate stormwater conveyance away from the Dungeness River, the design speed for the road surface will be reduced to 25 MPH. It is expected that this design speed will also provide greater compatibility with pedestrian use of the adjacent trail.

Figure 2. Levee Surface Typical Cross Section

The design includes the realignment of the intersection of Sequim-Dungeness Way and E. Anderson Road to create a four-way, aligned intersection (see Figure 3, below). Stop signs will be placed at Towne Road and the north extension of Sequim-Dungeness Way. As a design feature intended to facilitate the flow of naturally occurring surface waters, the portion of the project between the North Levee and Sequim-Dungeness Way includes a previously constructed, large culvert and engineered vertical wall design within a limited space to reduce the project footprint and impacts to wetlands. This ‘causeway’ includes concrete sidewalls to provide motor vehicle safety through this narrow portion (see Figure 3).

Figure 3. Realignment at Intersection with Sequim-Dungeness Way

Stormwater Treatment.

As noted earlier, the road surface will slope away from the river and restored floodplain. To address concerns regarding road-generated contaminants from impacting Meadowbrook Creek, all stormwater flowing from the road surface will pass through a constructed Compost-Amended Vegetated Filtration Strip (CAVFS) to provide treatment. Because portions of the project abut wetlands, the CAVFS have been deigned with layers of coarse drainage materials (horizontal drainage filter and drainage blanket features) to facilitate infiltration through the treatment media without relying on infiltration into native soils that may be saturated during periods of the year. As detailed in Figure 4, untreated stormwater passes through the CAVFS, allowing for active treatment. As it passes through the horizontal drainage blanket material, it emerges as treated stormwater.

Figure 4. CAVFS Design for Stormwater Treatment

Next steps. The County is currently working with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to finalize the Modification Request for the existing permit. The Washington Department of Ecology has already approved the design. To address concerns regarding the ongoing effectiveness of the stormwater plan, the County has developed a draft Operations and Maintenance Plan that includes stormwater monitoring and adaptive management strategies to address problems should they arise. It is expected that construction for the majority of the project will commence towards the end of June 2024, with an estimated completion of the project by the end of September 2024.

Additional information will be posted as it becomes available.

Project Awards. The Lower Dungeness floodplain restoration project is featured in the US Army Corps of Engineers recent publication, “Engineering with Nature: An Atlas” Volume 3. A photo by local photographer John Gussman graces the atlas’ front cover (see Figure 5, below).

Figure 5. Engineering with Nature: An Atlas, Vol. 3, USACE.

The EWN Atlas Series highlights projects and partnerships from around the world that provide multifaceted benefits by integrating natural processes into engineering solutions. Explore the EWN Atlas Volume 3 here: https://ewn.erdc.dren.mil/atlas-series/

The floodplain restoration project has also received awards from the North Olympic Land Trust, the American Society of Civil Engineers, and state and national awards from American Council of Engineering Consultants.

Lower Dungeness Levee Project Update, February 12, 2024

Design work. The project engineers have been moving ahead with design details. I am happy to report the redesign work indicates the levee surface will be able to accommodate more useable space than originally thought. The following figure shows the project layout and includes two sectional designs representative of the narrow (Section B-B’) and the wider (Section A-A’) portions of the project:

By reducing the project design speed from 35 mph to 25 mph, greater flexibility exists with respect to lane widths and other design criteria. With a minimum of 10-feet from the fog line to the slope edge and a consistent slope to the outside, it was feasible to remove one of the guard rails and still meet safety requirements. A curb will be used to provide vehicle/pedestrian separation—offering a more open feel for both. Smaller-aggregate chipseal may be used on the road surface to reduce road noise and provide a smoother surface. A roadside parking strip has also been included south of the levee surface for additional pedestrian access.

Now that we know how much surface width we have to work with, we have a better understanding of how the surfacing and space allocation will work throughout the length of the project. The “narrow” portion depicted in Typical Section B-B’, includes a 14-foot north-bound lane, a 10-foot south-bound lane, and a six to eight-foot trail surface. The duration of this segment is limited to approximately 350-feet of the 3,700-foot project distance, or about 9% of the over-all project. An intermediate portion will exist for approximately 850-feet and contain a 14-foot north-bound lane, a 12-foot south-bound lane, and an eight to ten-foot trail surface. The majority of the project (68%) will have two 14-foot travel lanes and 10 to 12-foot-plus trail surface. The trail surface will provide a nexus between the North Levee and the River’s Edge Levee to the south. These design features are still preliminary, but it is expected they provide the general layout that will be included in the final design.

Official Plan Set: Official Plan Set Issued March 2024

Next steps. At this point, staff feels the project will be ready for bid proposals at the end of March. Assuming a reasonable bid is received and approved, construction is expected to occur this summer. More information will be provided on the project schedule and budget as this process evolves.

Other Levee Updates.

Washington Conservation Corps crew planted about 2,000 native plants and installed a fence around the most vulnerable newly seeded area near the walking ramp in the north parking lot. This is the second planting of native plants in the floodplain area. Many thanks to this hard-working crew!

This year you may see people out in the floodplain with something that looks like a butterfly net. These folks are looking for some of Washington’s 600 species of native bees. They will record the species, location, and other information to add to the Washington Bee Atlas. https://agr.wa.gov/departments/insects-pests-and-weeds/insects/apiary-pollinators/pollinator-health/bee-atlas

(Western Leafcutter Bee)