CHINOOK, Wash. — The potholes have been repaired, lines repainted with new signage and a safer speed limit is now in force.

Changes are underway at Fort Columbia State Park, led by a local conservation group aimed at improving safety and access to the historic park located just east of Chinook.

On Monday, a crew from the Washington State Department of Transportation was busy working on the entry to the 618-acre park, considered one of the most intact historic coastal defense sites in the country.

The Department of Transportation also lowered the speed limit through the tunnel, from 55 mph to 45 mph, to make entering and exiting the park safer.

“We’ve been working with WSDOT to provide better signage and directional arrows, for clear ingress/egress into the park,” Friends of Columbia River Gateway and Keepers of North Head Lighthouse secretary Lori Baker said. “In addition to the new signage, we will participate in a grand opening of the park in June 2025. This will include tours of the renovated buildings.”

In the meantime, the park’s grounds will remain a popular place for walks and picnics, offering spectacular views of the river and the Oregon shore.

Fort Columbia State Park had 123,542 visitors in 2023, up from 101,680 in 2014. July 2023 was the busiest month for the park, with nearly 20,000 visitors.

The Friends of Fort Columbia and Keepers of North Head Lighthouse are local nonprofit organizations that provide funds to the parks for special projects, restoration, volunteer support, interpretive staff and the Waikiki Beach Concert Series. The funds come from membership dues, donations and revenue generated from the stores located at the Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center and North Head Lighthouse.