Clallam County Advances $2M Dungeness Road Project Despite Neighborhood Concerns

Residents raise issues over curve realignment that could encourage speeding near a school zone.

Published on Feb. 14, 2026

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Clallam County is moving forward with a roughly $2 million road project near the Dungeness Recreation Area, funded through a federal grant. The project includes relocating a portion of Voice of America Road away from an eroding coastal bluff, as well as smoothing out a tight 90-degree curve near Kitchen-Dick Road and Lotzgesell Road. However, the curve realignment has drawn sharp pushback from local residents, who are concerned it could encourage speeding in a school zone and make it harder for drivers to enter and exit nearby neighborhoods.

Why it matters

The Dungeness Road project is aimed at improving access to the Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge, a federally managed site. But the proposed changes to the road's alignment have raised concerns from the local community about public safety and the potential impact on the surrounding neighborhood.

The details

The project's three main components include relocating a portion of Voice of America Road away from an eroding coastal bluff, smoothing out a tight 90-degree curve near Kitchen-Dick Road and Lotzgesell Road, and addressing other environmental constraints like a bald eagle nest near the proposed bluff setback route. While the bluff realignment is seen as the most urgent part of the project, the curve realignment has drawn the most pushback from residents who worry it could encourage speeding and make it harder for drivers to access nearby neighborhoods.

  • The county is aiming for 50% design completion by mid-2026.
  • Construction is targeted for 2026 and 2027.
  • The county will continue exploring whether the work can be phased without jeopardizing the federal grant.

The players

Joe Donisi

Clallam County Road Engineer, who told county commissioners the work is funded through the Federal Lands Access Program (FLAP).

Jesse Goodman

Clallam County Engineer, who outlined the three main components of the project.

Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge

A federally managed site that the Dungeness Road project is aimed at improving access to.

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What they’re saying

“The current alignment of the road is, at some points, about 15 feet from the bluff. And I think, by most metrics, we're at about a foot and a half of erosion a year on average. So that bluff realignment segment is kind of the part everyone is concerned with.”

— Jesse Goodman, Clallam County Engineer (myclallamcounty.com)

“So the comments relating to the curve — I mean, everything was kind of a function of speed. There were a lot of concerns about additional traffic, and concerns about traffic entering a roadway that's traveling at a higher rate of speed. And that was kind of independent of what the intended speed was. The assumption was that a larger-radius, longer curve will encourage faster speeds.”

— Jesse Goodman, Clallam County Engineer (myclallamcounty.com)

What’s next

The county will continue exploring whether the work can be phased without jeopardizing the federal grant, as bluff erosion remains the most urgent problem. Public Works said it is aiming for 50% design completion by mid-2026, with construction targeted for 2026 and 2027.

The takeaway

The Dungeness Road project highlights the challenges of balancing infrastructure improvements with community concerns, as the county works to address an eroding coastal bluff while also addressing resident worries about the potential impact of road realignment on traffic safety and neighborhood access.