The Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans) is working to stay ahead of the weather to keep roads open and safe for the traveling public. VTrans has shored up roads wherever possible and implemented detours where needed in response to continuing rainfall and rising lake levels. (BELOW ARE THE VTRANS UPDATES AS OF 4 PM THURSDAY.)
Governor Peter Shumlin and Transportation Secretary Brian Searles visited areas on Lake Champlain Wednesday, including the causeway connecting Milton and South Hero, to track flood damage along the shoreline.
‘The Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans) is working to stay ahead of the weather to keep roads open and safe for the traveling public,’ Gov. Shumlin said. He visited the causeway site, where stone was being dropped to protect the structure, and said efforts to protect home and property owners are also underway in many communities that line the lake.
‘Vermonters are tough and tenacious. Working together, we’ll get through this,’ the Governor added.
The waters of Lake Champlain have reached historic flood levels following continued precipitation throughout April and melting snow pack from the heavy winter, and numerous rivers and streams are also at flood level across the state. VTrans has shored up roads wherever possible and implemented detours where needed.
The Governor met with Searles at the causeway for an update after the Transportation Secretary had visited several areas of significant flooding around the state to assess road damage and repair efforts. At the Route 2 causeway, rock from quarries across the state were being trucked in and deposited to create a breakwater to protect the causeway from on-coming rain, wind and waves.
Secretary Searles added, ‘Vtrans has been working very hard to keep the state roadways passable. We brought over 1,000 bags of sand to Isle La Motte to open Route 129, which we managed to do by early evening. We have stabilized Route 17 in Addison, and are working to sustain travel along the causeway on Route 2. We will continue to monitor the areas of greatest concern along the Lake, in particular the tributaries for Missisquoi and Lamoille Rivers.’
Rainfall totals set a record in April, creating swollen rivers and unstable stream banks, and prompting the Lake Champlain level to hit an all-time high. Rain is expected to continue through to Friday.
Agency of Transportation Road Update ‘ 5/5/11 4pm.
The Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans) is continuing to marshal its resources to keep roads from closing around Lake Champlain, ensure traveler safety, and to open others back up to facilitate travel as quickly as possible.
Updates of today:
The Maidstone State Highway has reopened as of this afternoon.
Route 73 between Route 7 and 30 has reopened as of this morning
Route 25 between Corinth and Route 25B is closed due to an accident (propane truck rollover). Expect it to remain closed for another 6 hours or so.
Ongoing Areas of Concern:
Route 78 between Swanton and Alburgh is open, but travelers should proceed with extreme caution. VTrans crews are installing delineators (reflectors) where there are no guardrails, and adding fill to protect the travel way. Water is not yet in the travelled way, but is close. VTrans will continue to monitor this situation carefully.
The Route 2 Causeway remains open. VTrans is continuing to armor both sides of the causeway with rock. The south side is complete, work on the north side will continue until dark. Travel may be restricted to one lane to accommodate construction vehicles for the road improvements.
Route 2 (East of Sandbar) is open to traffic, but there is significant water over the road. VTrans is placing jersey barriers and gravel to shore up this road. Travel is slow and may be down to one late to accommodate construction vehicles.
Route 2 in Alburg, between Routes 78 and 129 at Wagner Point. Some water in the road but both lanes are open. Motorists are advised to reduce speed and exercise caution.
I-89 Southbound in Milton will be reduced to one-lane traffic due to instability of the right lane.
Route 118 between Montgomery and Belvidere. There are multiple locations (on 118) that are reduced to one-lane traffic. These are extended events that will last until further notice.
Route 122 in Lyndon, between the Interstate and Wheelock Road. One-lane traffic due to slope failure. This will be an extended event that will last until further notice.
Route 114 between Canaan and Island Pond, through Norton. Motorists will experience several single-lane areas due to multiple slope failures.
Route 129 between Isle La Motte and Alburgh is open to one-lane traffic. Water remains high and there is debris in the road. Motorists are advised to use caution.
Continued State Road Closures:
Route 36 in St. Albans, between between Georgia Shore Road and McQuam Road is closed due to flooding. Motorists are advised to avoid this section of roadway.
Route 125 near Chimney Point is closed approximately 13 miles west of Middlebury. Route 17 remains open following VTrans’ action to add fill to flooded areas.
Smugglers Notch, Jeffersonville to Stowe, remains closed, weather pending.
Note that the Chimney Point and Grand Isle ferries are still running on schedule.
For more information please call 802-828-2648 (7am -5pm) or 211 (Vermont Emergency Management). Road condition information is also found at: 511vt.com. This site is updated throughout the day between the hours of 7am -5pm.
Photo from Karen McCloud in Grand Isle of the train trestle up by the Mississquoi bridge between Swanton and Alburg.
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