When the ice and snow leave the paved roads, dust clouds the windshields of drivers, but at least staying on the traveled lane is less of a challenge. The frost heaves seem designed to keep drivers paying attention and keep early season cyclists on their toes – literally.
On the dirt roads, the slow exodus of the frost from the ground makes mud season. Normally a predictable event, this year’s mud season has been multi-phasic with deep troughs eating cars, roads closed, opened, closed, graded, re-troughed until what finally appears – the last phase – mogul run roads.
These are the roads with unpredictable and huge heaves that shift from side to side and north and south overnight with little rhyme or reason. These fridge-sized bumps would give pause to the most extreme of extreme skiers.
But now that the roads are almost passable, Vermont’s next road season has arrived – road work season. No sooner will the VTrans workers finish their sweeping and brooming, crack-filling and litter pick-up then workers will begin bridge work, culvert work, shoulder work and more.
Recall the amount of time spent waiting for road construction work on the Sugarbush Access Road last year. Expect more of that. Recall waiting for the pipelaying work for Waitsfield’s much beleaguered municipal water project last fall – expect more of that (sooner or later. But it’s coming).
Take a look at East Warren Road from end to end. It’s not a pretty sight for cars, bikes, horses and anything less than a tracked Humvee at the moment. Expect delays there.
Work on Waitsfield’s sidewalk project could begin. Expect delays.
The Valley will host its first ever marathon in July which will bring thousands of visitors to town. The scenic course includes East Warren Road, Waitsfield Common, Route 100 and more. Be prepared and expect delays.
And don’t forget the Green Mountain Stage Race when thousands more flock to The Valley. Be patient and expect delays.
The watchword on roads this summer is simply patience.
{loadnavigation}
