Replacing a bridge on Plunkton Road in Warren will cost an estimated $428,000. That bridge was heavily damaged during Tropical Storm Irene flooding last August. The Warren Select Board, at its May 22 meeting, discussed the bridge repairs and a variety of other issues— including the paving of Cider Hill Road and preparation for the Mad Marathon.
At the meeting, Warren Public Works director Barry Simpson discussed plans to replace Plunkton Road Bridge. Simpson announced that the most up-to-date cost to repair the bridge is $428,000, which is more than the previous estimate.
The bridge reconstruction is slated to take place between now and October 15, and the new bridge will be wider (between 26 and 27 feet in total) than the existing bridge. Simpson said that these plans should be sufficient to meet the traffic patterns on Plunkton Road, and the town is still evaluating the best method to divert water runoff from the bridge.
Prior to that, several residents attended the meeting to voice their concerns about the town’s decision not to pave Cider Hill Road, which select board members made at the last meeting. Residents who live on the road were not necessarily upset with the decision not to pave the road but with the fact that they had received no direct contact with the town regarding the potential paving plans. The select board members heard their concerns and ultimately both parties left with an understanding of the decision to not pave the road and instead focus on more pressing road repairing needs.
Next up, Dori Ingalls, event organizer for the second annual Mad Marathon, discussed plans and preparation for the event, which will take place on July 8. Both Ingalls and the select board were extremely pleased with last year’s marathon, which Ingalls described as “bigger than expected” and “a big boost for The Valley.”
Although registration numbers for the marathon are down this year from last, Ingalls said that there is still time to make last-minute advertising pushes and select board members said they were pleased to see that most of the lodges in the area are already completely booked.
While Ingalls said last year’s race was “very well organized” and demonstrated a “great sense of community,” the organizing team is looking into making some changes to help the event run even smoother, including adding more Port-a-Potties along the course and having more food for runners at the finish line.
The select board informed Ingalls that last year they received a few complaints from townspeople who felt that they were not able to leave or return to their houses on the race day, and Ingalls responded that this year they will make a better effort to educate the public as to the time and location of road closures, and she clarified that the roads will still remain open to local traffic.
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