Port of Woodland to enforce off-road-vehicle restrictions at Austin Point

WOODLAND — The Port of Woodland has hired a private security firm to patrol its Austin Point property to stop illegal use by all-terrain vehicles.

Nelson Holmberg, port executive director, said signs have been posted for years indicating four-wheel-drive vehicles are not allowed.

“We’ve tried gates that have been locked overnight, but they’ve been stolen,” Holmberg said.

The security firm will warn offenders and give them a chance to leave. If the offenders do not leave, citations will be issued. The Woodland Police Department and Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Office have been alerted.

Austin Point is where the North Fork of the Lewis River enters the Columbia.

“We’re essentially drawing a line in the sand, so to speak,” Holmberg said.