Last week’s Mt Mica Rd washout!
Looking back to that mighty rainstorm on May 2, I wanted to let you all know what happened and why Lincoln St. was travelled by heavy trucks all day on Monday, May 3. Considering the fragile nature of Lincoln Street this was a concern to all of us on that street.
The rain washed out Mr Mica Road above Cooper Spring resulting in a road closure for most of Monday. The washout was huge and took out a very large section of the road, including new pavement. Additional pavement had to be cut to keep the washout from getting worse.
I contacted Dawn Noyes, town manager and asked her some questions.
- How was the washout reported? Jamie was off, so Jesse reported the problem. He determined that it was over more than half of the width of the road which meant traffic had to be diverted while the road crew worked. Dawn said they are hopeful a more permanent fix will be done this year.
2. Were any residents directly affected. Yes. Driveway culverts were involved and folks had to turn around.
3. How long was Cooper Spring closed? Most of the day on Monday, It was reopened late afternoon. The crews were done around 5:30 pm.
4. How many truckloads were needed to stop the washout and reopen the road? Not sure, but the cost for the gravel was $7,393. At one point they were at 20 loads.
5. Will there be any more temporary work done before the “real” fix. Crews will monitor the conditions and make sure it doesn’t get worse.
I also asked Dawn about the road work schedule for Paris Hill, especially Tremont and Lincoln Streets. She said she was aware of the deterioration and would try to get a look at conditions and possibly rethink the 2033 current schedule for those roads.
Dawn also asked that I encourage Paris Hill residents to vote in the upcoming statewide Elections scheduled for June 13. Paris has two openings for Select Board positions on that ballot. Residents can begin voting absentee starting May 15.
She said residents should attend the Candidate Night on May 18 and voice any concerns they have about town business. Also voters should plan to attend the Town Meeting on June 20.
