It was a long few days for the residents of North Road and Pony Farm Road who bore the brunt of the detoured drivers trying to get into and out of The Valley after last week’s catastrophic flooding which left Route 100 by Ward Hill and Route 100B by Maynard’s closed.
Route 100B reopened with a temporary bridge and one-way traffic on Tuesday evening, July 17, and Route 100 is expected to be reopened on July 20, according to Ernie Patnoe, Vermont Agency of Transportation Director of Maintenance. Before the road reopened all traffic heading to and coming from the north was traveling in and out via Pony Farm Road, Moretown Village and Route 100B.
The work on the state highways was done by Winterset Construction, Lyndonville.
The two state highway bridges that span Dowsville Brook were completely taken out and the road crumbled on Routes 100 and 100B in the flooding. Dowsville Brook took out four bridges during this flood, the two state bridges and two Duxbury bridges, one at Vigilante Road and the other where Dowsville and Ward Hill come together. The Vigilante bridge will be out for some time.
As The Valley Reporter went to press on July 17, Route 17 westbound remained closed from Waitsfield through the Fayston town line to all but local traffic due to a significant washout near Old Mansfield Road. According to Patnoe, that road was expected to be open by the end of the day. Damage to that road was compounded by severe washouts at the intersection of German Flats Road and Route 17.
Elsewhere, roads in Warren were mostly intact while Waitsfield had some issues on Center Fayston Road and the town’s portion of North Fayston Road where Shepard Brook took out multiple driveways and yards while flooding several basements. Further up that road, Shepard Brook rivaled Dowsville Brook in the havoc it brought with more driveways, roads and bridges damaged and houses undercut. Moretown, Fayston, Duxbury and Waterbury saw significant and serious flooding and road damage.
Fayston’s roads are evolving as the week continues. Here’s a July 16 update from town clerk Patti Lewis:
Road Closures:
- Randell Road – Bridge is washed out. Can enter from either end.
- Airport Road – Bridge washed out. Can enter from either end.
- Big Basin – Not open at furthest end.
- Carey and Strong Road where connected.
Roads Passable but not recommended:
- North Fayston Road
- Dunbar Hill
- Sharpshooter
- Center Fayston Road
- Stagecoach Road
- Barton Road
- Smith Road
- German Flats Road
- Murphy Road
- Fayston Farms
- Boyce Hill Road
- Old Mansfield Road
- Rankin
In Moretown, road foreman Martin Cameron said that all roads were open for residents and emergency vehicles.
“My statement is that all roads in Moretown are open to residents only. All others, whether they be UPS/fuel/garbage/FedEx/delivery should not consider them open.”
