Fox Island's Towhead Island Boat Launch

Towhead Island Boat Ramp Project Revived?

Due to the rapidly deteriorating condition of the Fox Island boat launch (formally known as "Towhead Island"), and the hazardous traffic conditions at the launch on busy summer weekends, FICRA President John Ohlson has been holding talks with various government officials to see if an improvement plan drawn up by the Pierce County Parks & Recreation District in the 1980's can be revived.

FICRA has been collecting signatures on a petition to show support for the proposed improvements, and to date over 650 signatures have been gathered.

The land was originally the site for the toll booth for the Fox Island bridge, and the original ramp was constructed to facilitate the construction of the bridge. Some years later, the original ramp was destroyed by some heavy equipment belonging to the Navy.

It was later replaced by the current concrete slabs which are chained together to form the boat ramp. The slabs are breaking apart, have become disconnected from one another, and pose a hazard to boaters. Most people avoid the actual ramp, and launch their boats on the adjacent gravel beach.
 

Time and the tides have taken their toll, and the once spacious parking area is now only a fraction of it's former self.  Erosion has washed away nearly all of the parking area, and the pavement on the ramp is crumbling badly.

The new plan would increase the on-site parking from approximately 8 stalls to nearly 21 stalls, and provide an off-street staging area for boaters to turn around and position their rigs to launch - out of the oncoming traffic.  Incoming traffic would be routed to the north end of the lot, and exiting traffic would use the south exit, providing a smoother flow of traffic on the site. 

 An option to add a small picnic area on the south end of the property is also being looked at.

The angle of the ramp itself would be increased to prevent having to submerge your vehicle in the saltwater to get your boat off the trailer, and the concrete slabs would be replaced with a smooth, continuous concrete drive.

FICRA President John Ohlson has been in communication with Senator Maria Cantwell’s office, Senator Derek Kilmer, Rep. Pat Lantz, Pierce County Councilman Terry Lee, and PenMet Parks Executive Director Marc Connelly over the past four months regarding this project. There is interest by all parties concerned, to get the project back on track.  To that end, FICRA has appointed a steering committee to oversee the efforts to restart this project, and potentially strike up a partnership between PenMet, FICRA and the BLM to provide stewardship and ongoing operational support for this facility.

For more information, contact FICRA.

Erosion and tidal action has washed away the boat launch's parking area over the years.  The second row of boulders on the left was the original location of the parking lot's westerly edge.

The small turnaround area is close to the oncoming traffic on the Fox Island Bridge road, making a traffic hazard for boaters and Island residents alike.

Damaged by heavy equipment and frequent use, the concrete ramp approach is badly cracked and crumbling, and the concrete slabs that make up the ramp itself are beyond repair.

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