Rep. Alison Clarkson has confirmed to Woodstock Early Bird after conferrring with the Gov. Peter Shumlin’s Office what many locals in the Woodstock area have known for a couple of hours:
State Route 4 which travels across Vermont from White River Junction to Rutland is now passable and open to the public.
This news follows paving and construction efforts by VTrans and its contractors who worked overnight last night and steadily for the two plus weeks along a road used by many — including truckers — to gain access from New Hampshire through to New York State via Vermont.
The road has been inpassable since Tropical Storm Irene caused massive flooding from Woodstock to Bridgewater, Bridgewater Corners to Killington and Mendon. The flooding of rivers, streams and brooks along the thoroughfare caused full collapse of pavement sections that left drops two to three feet deep and more in what had been Route 4. It cut off communities including Bridgewater, Killington and Mendon from Rutland and Woodstock.
As one example of the importance of this road, its destruction meant some initially had to drive six hours from Rutland south through Massachusetts to get back to Woodstock, a normally 45 minute drive. A linen cleaning service in New Hampshire was initially stymied from providing sheets and pillowcases to Rutland Regional Hospital. And the effects and costs to normal interstate truck transportation are yet to be known.
Route 4 in also key to Vermont’s tourism business, providing access to colorful Fall playgrounds and the small picturesque communities that support them.
A massive effort. Worthy of congratulations. Gov. Shumlin will travel to Route 4 in Killington tomorrow to see the progress in person. He will make a brief ”ribbon-cutting” appearance at 11am at the small white church that still stands by the roadside there.
Julia Carlisle
