Clarksburg Road Closed Because of Washout
 The river undermined the road and dropped the guardrails into the river. |
The southbound lane, which has had structural issues in the past during high-water events, collapsed up to the yellow line just north of the bridge past the Briggsville mill.
Town Administrator Michael Canales said MassDOT officials had also looked at the already problematic East Road Bridge that partially collapsed; Daniels Road also washed out.
A temporary light will be installed sometime in the next few weeks to allow one-way traffic along the Route 8 stretch. No through traffic is being allowed but residents are using narrow Hayden Hill, which coincidentally brackets the washed-out section, to get across.
The closure of the state road has increased the amount of traffic on Middle and Cross roads. Town officials are cautioning walkers and residents that a higher amount of truck and car traffic should be expected for the next couple of weeks.
Town Hall will be closed until Thursday because of minor flooding on the first floor, which contains the police station, reception and the tax collector/treasurer's office. Canales said a cleaning crew had washed the carpets but it will take a few days to dry.
Clarksburg School will also open a day later to ensure bus routes are safe.
There was flooding in some areas of town and three families were evacuated. They spent the night with friends or family and the emergency shelter did not need to open. Canales said town crews were evaulating any culvert and road damage.
What didn't flood was the river below the Cross Road bridge, where the old Briggsville Dam was recently removed.
"We're very pleased with the way things worked," said Canales. "The water went where it was supposed to go."
Town officials had feared the detiorated dam could cause major flooding to the area. Through state, federal and nonprofit efforts, the dam was removed and that section of the river dropped nearly 15 feet. While the water did not go over its banks, it did washout a gently sloped bank that the town had hoped to use as a park and seriously eroded the steep bank on the north side of the mill.
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| To the left is the North Branch on Monday after the storm; at right, the same spot a few months ago when its restoration was celebrated by state and federal officials. | |
Daniels Road and the East Road Bridge were already targeted for repairs. Daniels Road and a culvert across the road are included in a grant application to the new Massachusetts Infrastructure Grant Program this September. That road, along with West Cross, Cross and Middle roads were rejected for a Small Town Road Assistance Program in January because the roads — three of which are major town byways — were deemed too small by MassHighway.
New grant program, which takes over for STRAP, may not hew to MassHighway's criteria, Canales told the Selectmen last week.
Canales did not know Monday what disaster funds may be available for fixing Daniels Road — which requires an expensive $45,000 "open bottom" concrete culvert — or the East Road Bridge. Replacing the bridge culvert is expected to cost about $250,000.
Tags: Hoosic, roads,
