Residents frustrated with unkempt road conditions after heavy rain and flooding
By Briceyda Landaverde, Olivia Hickey
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PALMER, Massachusetts (WSHM-LD) — Palmer residents are frustrated about unkept road conditions after the heavy rain and flooding from last month added to the significant damage. One viewer reached out to our newsroom, concerned the town has no plans to repair the roads at this time.
“This road is bad, it’s got to be fixed. I mean oh my god,” said Pete of Palmer.
Palmer residents in disbelief drove along Rondeau Street: cones, rocks, ditches and frost heaves are seen all along the way.
“They have been using band-aids for 30 years,” said Ann Ryan of Ryan of Palmer.
Ryan lives off the street on Olney Road. The long-time resident told Western Mass News the town has done temporary fixes but has never fully addressed the unsafe road conditions in the area.
“They dig ditches and fill them with rocks,” said Ryan.
She said the damage on the uphill street was only worsening with the recent heavy rain and flooding during the month of July.
“It washed it right out, we couldn’t get up or down the road. my daughter was supposed to fly out of Logan that night and we couldn’t go down the road so she had to change her flight,” said Ryan.
Ryan said the makeshift repairs make it difficult for two cars to pass safely on the street.
“Like I will stop and pull over but on the edge of the road…On the edge of the road, there is this far of a drop-off, where they filled in with those big huge pointy rocks,” said Ryan.
We also spoke to many residents who were driven up and down the street and they shared the same message as Ryan, these issues need to be addressed by the winter.
“My biggest fear is that when it snows, and the snow covers the ravines that are in place now, that someone is going to fall into the ravine and get stuck,” said Ryan.
Ryan told us she has taken her concerns to the town manager, his response:
“He said the first problem is we don’t know if it is a town road or not,” said Ryan.
Western Mass News reached out to the town manager and the department of public works for comment, we have not yet heard back.
However, storm damage is on the agenda for the next town meeting in Palmer scheduled for Monday, August 9th.
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