Following the impact of tropical storm Irene in two areas of Duxbury, select board members met twice to assess the damage and plan the rebuilding effort.
Residents along Main Street were flooded out similar to those in Waterbury, with equally severe damage. The impact on the northern end of town primarily affected Camel’s Hump Road and did damage to bridge 41 on Camel’s Hump Road.
One resident’s home on Camel’s Hump Road was severely damaged when Ridley Brook overflowed.
At the September 1 select board meeting, Main Street and Camel’s Hump Road residents raised concerns and asked questions regarding the storm's damage and what action the town would take.At the September 5 meeting, town officials presented a plan to deal with the damage.
With the help of the Duxbury Historical Society, the town established a clothing and food bank at the town garage. In addition, historical society members provided lunches to residents and volunteers in the Main Street area, Waterbury and the victims along Route 2 in Moretown.
Since the cleanup portion slowed down, they have been providing boxes of food to families in the same area.
The highway department supplied trucks and a loader and began hauling trash and debris placed along Main Street to the dump.The Patterson Mobile Home Park was devastated and the town provided assistance helping with the cleanup.
With a wealth of information being released, town officials provided information on numerous programs and services to those affected.
Residents living on Camel’s Hump above Marshall Road were affected by damage done to the bridge at Marshall Road. The brook has undermined one of the abutments and the town has restricted vehicle weight limits and allowed travel on only one lane.
The Agency of Transportation inspected the bridge and recommended that the abutment be blocked up and bolstered to try to prevent any further settling, which has been done.AOT also recommended that the town monitor the bridge; measurements have been taken and so far town officials have seen no further deterioration.
Given the quickly approaching winter and concern for access of emergency vehicles and fuel delivery trucks, the town has approved purchase and installation of a temporary bridge over the existing structure. Town officials are awaiting prices for the assembly portion of the project and estimate that the bridge will be in place in the next week or so.
Select board members met with engineers to review a proposal to repair damage done to Camel’s Hump Road as a result of the storm in April. The plan proposed was determined to be unfeasible given the cost and scope of the work which included closing the road completely.
After consultation with the Agency of Natural Resources, a second plan is being finalized that town officials believe can be implemented quickly at a lower cost and still allow access.
Select board members’ next concern is repair of Camel’s Hump Road from Marshall Road to the end. Most of the debris left in the stream has been cleared; however, significant portions of the road have been left to one lane and need to be repaired before the winter arrives.
Camel’s Hump Road was posted and remains closed to tourists, hikers and deliveries. The state park is closed. There is no place to park; even after the town installs a temporary bridge, the road is still precarious, according to town officials.
Despite signage on Richmond Road, River Road, the Winooski Bridge and the bottom of Camel’s Hump Road, tourists and hikers are still attempting to access the road.
There will be a “rebuilding Duxbury potluck” get-together on Main Street on Sunday, September 25, from 1 until 5 p.m.
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