Most Roads Were Passable By Tuesday
by Alex Brooks
The roads in Petersburgh sustained extensive damage from the heavy rain brought by Hurricane Irene. The Town Highway crew has been working from 6 am until 8 or 9 at night since Sunday trying to get the roads repaired and re-opened. Town Highway Superintendent Ray Harrison said, as of Tuesday afternoon, that no one was stranded any more – everybody has a way to drive out, even if it is sometimes on a rather rough road.
The bridge in Stillman Village is completely gone and remains impassable. Dill Brook Road is gone. The County hopes to repair the section from Potter Hill Road to Route 22 in about a week, but the section from Stillman Village to Potter Hill Road may not be repaired for a while.
The bridge to Broken Wheel Campground was inundated, but it has been cleaned up and reopened. The Webster Road bridge by Paulson Lumber was overtopped with water but has been cleaned up and reopened.
A culvert on Stillman Village Road washed out but has been repaired. Church Hollow Road sustained damage but has been repaired to some extent and is now passable. Potter Hill Road, Olney’s Road and Varville Road are rough but passable. Avery Hill Road was closed for two days but is now rough but passable. Harold Brock Road and Melchoir Road are in rough shape. A culvert washed out on Scriven Road and it remains closed.
Highway Superintendent Ray Harrison contacted a culvert supplier on Wednesday and hopes to get the Stillman Village bridge replaced with a large culvert in about a month.
Petersburgh Supervisor Peter Schaaphok said none of these roads have been restored to their pre-storm condition and drivers need to exercise caution and pay attention to road conditions when driving in the Town. He also asked that residents give the Town Highway crew a break, as they are working as hard as they can to get all the roads restored.
