Crystal Mountain Boulevard | Transportation Planning & Programming | Public Works & Utilities

Public Works & Utilities >> Transp. Planning & Programming >> Crystal Mountain Boulevard

What's Happening on Crystal Mountain Boulevard?

Why Pierce County maintains the road

Crystal Mountain Boulevard is owned by the United States Forest Service (USFS) and maintained by Pierce County under a Forest Highway Cooperative Agreement signed in 1961. This agreement specifies that Pierce County will maintain the road under USFS direction. Pierce County executed a Highway Easement Deed with USFS in May 2008. This deed allows the County to pursue funds for resurfacing, restoration and rehabilitation.

Project Location Map, (PDF, 1.0 MB)

A higher than average maintenance cost

Since assuming maintenance and operating responsibilities for Crystal Mountain Boulevard, Pierce County has conducted maintenance activities such as chip sealing, prelevel patching, numerous pothole repairs, vegetation control, guardrail repairs, culvert and ditch cleaning, rock and mudslide removal, and pavement markings. These maintenance needs while similar to other rural roads in the county are more expensive to conduct at Crystal Mountain Boulevard.

From 2002 to 2005, Pierce County spent an average of $17,500 per lane mile on Crystal Mountain Boulevard. In comparison, the average costs for a rural collector in greater Pierce County are between $3,000 and $4,000 per lane mile. Crystal Mountain Boulevard is not only remote, it has:

a much higher than average ratio of guardrail per lineal foot of road,
snow and ice removal performed under contract,
an altitude 3,000 ft higher than most of the Pierce County road inventory, and
a remote location in the northeastern most corner of the county that requires extensive travel time to transport labor, equipment and materials.

Why is the road in its current condition?

Crystal Mountain Boulevard's current condition reflects the extensive ice and snow removal efforts which stress the pavement and guardrails. The assumption was that a complete rehabilitation/restoration and resurfacing would be performed using national grant dollars. This would address both pavement, guardrail and rockslide needs. However, these grant funds were not made available for use on Crystal Mountain Boulevard. The new Highway Easement Deed facilitates such grant opportunities.

What is the County doing to improve the road?

The County has succeeded in obtaining a $4.2 million grant from the Washington County Road Administration Board (CRAB). This grant will fund a new asphalt overlay and guardrail improvements. To help prevent rockslides, the County has secured a $500,000 grant for rock slope mitigation from the Federal Highway Administration.

The County has successfully passed the initial application process for a $5.345 million grant from the Federal Highway Administration. This grant would further fund new asphalt overlay, guardrails, culverts and rock slope mitigation.