A main connection between Southbury and Woodbury is getting close to reopening.
The road was heavily damaged back in August when devastating flooding ravaged the Naugatuck Valley.
“Normally we would be going down it almost every day, a couple times a week,” Jason Oemcke said.
Jason Oemcke said losing access to Transylvania Road between Woodbury and Southbury has been frustrating.
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“You have to go around each way, it’s been a little bit of a hassle,” Oemcke said.
The road was shut down following August’s devastating flooding in the region.
“The road is paved as of this week the only thing we are waiting on now is guard rails,” First Selectman Barbara Perkinson said.
Perkinson said progress on the road was steady, but the road itself is a dam, which required specific permitting and work.
Officials found endangered bog turtles, which delayed the finishing touches.
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“They did grant us a temporary go ahead and we kind of are staying away from where the turtles are,” Perkinson said.
It's set to reopen Friday, once guardrails are put in place. It’s also one of the last in the region still closed.
“Everyone was working concurrently which helped speed up the process,” said CT DOT spokesperson Josh Morgan, speaking about progress all over the Naugatuck Valley.
Morgan praised the work of state and local crews for their quick work to reopen roads.
Morgan said there were over 30 state roads closed back in August. All have since been reopened and only a few local roads remain closed.
It's progress toward reconnecting communities and turning the page on a challenging chapter.
“These connect people to places, to opportunities, to healthcare and jobs and education, and it's just so vital and critically they are safe and accessible when people need to access them,” Morgan said.
But in Woodbury, residents on both sides of the road closed signs are ready for a faster way to get to their neighbors.
“Southbury, and Woodbury, and into Roxbury and all around there, its going to be so nice once its opened up,” Oemcke said.
The first selectman also offered a reminder as roads come back online following months of closures. She is asking people to stay slow, use caution and obey all traffic signs.
