FRYEBURG – Recent rains have flooded several Fryeburg roads, forcing the town to close part of Menotomy Road and make hasty plans for repairs, Town Manager Phil Covelli said Tuesday.
“Ditches got washed out, and the pavement buckled,” Covelli said. “There’s just asphalt and underneath there’s nothing.” He was describing Menotomy Road, which sustained enough damage to turn it into a one-lane road. A few other roads in Fryeburg were still under water, making it difficult to judge how badly damaged they are, he said.
The town called Scott Parker, director of Oxford County’s Emergency Management Agency, to report the damage, which occurred this past weekend.
Parker said, “Fryeburg called and said they wanted to request that their damage be recognized if the governor declared a state of emergency.”
In a state of emergency, towns may apply for federal money to repair roads, Covelli explained.
Although parts of Maine received record amounts of rain this past weekend, the state avoided major damage from the downpours. Parker said he received no other damage reports from towns.
Covelli estimated it will cost $3,000 to repair Menotomy Road. Currently, one lane along a 100-foot stretch has been closed off with barricades. He said there are a number of homes along the road.
“If it is not repaired, we’ll lose the whole road,” he said. “We’re going to completely repair it by the end of this week.”
Other roads that are flooded are Bog Pond, Old River and Hemlock Bridge roads, he said.
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