To The Editor:
I am not a Valley resident, living in Jerusalem (South Starksboro), but do read your paper through my work at Sugarbush Resort. It is very Valley-centric in content, as it should be; after all, it is The Valley Reporter. However, there is a bigger, wider world out there that we should all be mindful of. Your recent editorial discussing the condition of Route 17 up to Appalachian Gap refers to the recent culvert replacement and paving work completed on the “back” side of the gap. I think, in this instance, it may have been more inclusive to use geographical terms such as the west and east sides of the gap. I don’t think that anyone wants to be relegated to the “back” side when, really, it is just another side. Anyway, regarding the condition of Route 17, the stretch from Jerusalem down to Route 116 is in equally bad, if not worse, condition than the east side of Appalachian Gap. Folks in my neighborhood have been clamoring to get this stretch fixed for about a decade, with no results yet. There is plenty of traffic bound for the Mad River Valley that uses this stretch of road as well. It would be best to hope that these remaining bad sections, both east and west, get repaired for everyone.
Eric Hanson
South Starksboro
