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Byron selectboard chair urges county to make washed‑out Number 6 Road passable; commissioners order temporary fix
Summary
Public commenter Linda Joyell told Franklin County commissioners a paved portion of Number 6 Road near Byron washed out in 2023 and caused a vehicle to lose a tire; the commissioners voted to make the section safely passable before the coming weekend and directed staff to pursue a temporary repair and signage.
Linda Joyell, chair of the select board in the town of Byron, told the Franklin County Commissioners on July 7 that a paved section of Number 6 Road just before the Byron line has been washed out since storms in 2023 and remains unrepaired. “Someone’s gonna get hurt seriously, and it’s a liability to the county,” Joyell said, describing a recent crash that left a driver stranded without cell service and with significant vehicle damage. She told the board a local contractor estimated a temporary, passable repair would cost about $3,000–$5,000 and urged installation of warning signage on the blind hill.
County Road Commissioner Bob updated commissioners that Benwood Construction had been scheduled to fill the hole but staff had been unable to reach the contractor in recent days; he described a short‑term approach of cutting out a failed pavement section (roughly 50 feet) and filling with crushed concrete or recycled asphalt as a temporary measure. Bob and other commissioners warned that the problem likely requires a full box cut and re‑build—possibly 300 feet—plus proper drainage and underdrain work to be a long‑term fix.
After further discussion about timing and funding, Commissioner Tom Scofield (functional label used per transcript) moved that the county make the Number 6 Road passable and safe for a prudent operator before the upcoming weekend. The motion was seconded and carried on a voice vote. Commissioners asked staff to pursue immediate temporary measures (signage and short‑term patching) while evaluating longer‑term capital planning and potential state assistance.
Why it matters: The site sits on a travel corridor into Franklin County and has no cell coverage at points, raising public‑safety concerns if a motorist is immobilized. The board emphasized the initial step is to make the segment safe and visible for drivers while pursuing a capital plan that would address underlying drainage and pavement failures.
Next steps: Staff will provide the contractor contact information offered by Joyell, attempt to secure the temporary patch and signage this week, and report back with a schedule and cost estimate for a more extensive repair or inclusion in a multi‑year capital plan.
