FARMINGTON — The lower section of Whittier Road will remain closed throughout the winter.
Town Manager Richard Davis told selectmen Tuesday that the decision was made after Public Works Director Denis Castonguay met with environmental consultant Rick Jones to review the riverbank erosion that threatens a section of the road.
“It was a hard decision,” he said, referring to the inconvenience for local drivers. Town officials don’t want to keep opening and closing the road, he said.
The section of road was closed in late October due to the Sandy River’s high water level and the riverbank saturation, he said.
Concerned that something could happen in the middle of the night or on a holiday when no one is around, Davis said it seems more prudent to protect the safety of the public and keep the road closed.
Even vibrations from traffic can affect the erosion, he said when asked about keeping the road to one lane.
An environmental report has been submitted to the Federal Emergency Management Agency in an effort to receive funding next spring in time to stabilize the bank during low water from June 15 and Sept. 15, he said.
abryant@sunjournal.com
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