WENDELL — Residents can expect Mormon Hollow Road to be closed for at least a few months as contractors undertake a culvert replacement project nearly 30 feet below the roadway.
Construction, in the area of 126 Mormon Hollow Road near Diemand Farm, is expected to begin Monday, July 25, and will run at least through September. According to Wendell Road Commission Chair Phil Delorey, Clayton D. Davenport contractor crews will tear up more than 60 feet of road to replace a corroded culvert that is in danger of collapsing an embankment.
“It’s unfortunate, it’s a major road and it’s going to be closed,” Delorey said. “I don’t think there’s any question it’s heading for collapse.”
As the culvert’s condition deteriorates, Delorey said the neighboring embankment has been hit by storm runoff, further increasing the risk. He added that the town has been eyeing this specific location for four years and it wasn’t until this summer that the town was able to allocate more than $500,000 through Chapter 90, storm damage relief and American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds.
“The project was engineered in 2019 and on hold while the town put aside the necessary funds,” a notice from the town reads. “The Road Commission has been concerned that the culvert would collapse unexpectedly, perhaps due to heavy rains or continued corrosion. If that had happened, without plans and contracts in place, the road would have been closed much longer.”
While the road is closed, access to Diemand Farm will be severely restricted and residents will need to access it through Farley Road at the end of Wendell Depot Road or the westerly end of Farley Road via Route 2.
In a Facebook post, Diemand Farm said it will provide travel updates as it receives them and that this is a “long overdue erosion control project.”
“We apologize in advance for any inconvenience this may cause and we appreciate your continued support during the road repairs,” the post reads. “Our farm store will still be open normal business hours — it may just take a few extra minutes to get to us.”
Delorey thanked residents for their patience and he is hopeful the project goes off without a hitch so Diemand Farm isn’t affected for its “busy season in the fall.”
“I think folks tend to adjust to these things,” Delorey said of detours. “There’s a lot of moving parts. This is why we planned it and picked the most opportune method to get in and out.”