For the first time this year, the gates at Fern Hill Road are up, blocking access to a popular route for Gales Creek (and Forest Grove) commuters trying to get to the east side of the county.
“Fern Hill Road is closed between Taylor Way and Geiger Road due to flooding,” the Washington County Department of Land Use and Transportation said just before 10 a.m. Thursday.
Before driving the road during periods of heavy rain, it’s always good practice to check out the cameras on tripcheck.com to see if it’s closed or not.
This journalist drove the route just outside of Forest Grove Wednesday evening and noted water approaching the edge of the roadway, and sure enough, road crews from Washington County’s Department of Land Use and Transportation have shuttered the road Thursday morning.
The gates were established to stop drivers who ignored high water signs over and over and kept confidently driving into floodwaters on the road, needing constant—and dangerous—salvation from Forest Grove Fire & Rescue crews. The roadway was last closed December 6.
Chas Hundley is the editor of the Gales Creek Journal and sister news publications the Banks Post and the Salmonberry Magazine. He grew up in Gales Creek and has a cat.
