I live in Fairfax, and drive through Williston, Essex and Westford on Rt. 128 to work. The roads in Williston, Essex and Fairfax are pretty good, overall.

Route 128, well, that's another story. Countless potholes, long cracks, frost heaves that will easily bottom out the suspension in my car, you name it. There's even a nice hundred foot stretch where the center of the lane is raised up enough to drag the muffler.

Basically, I spend that whole stretch of my commute trying to keep the car in one piece. I've driven this road for 20 years now, and I've never seen it this bad. It's really ugly.

Vermont's Dirty Little Road Secret
If you want to know the real deal on the road conditions, ask someone who has to feed his family by driving on them. In 30 years of driving, 28 of which are in a truck, I can say what a mess, if I complained about my home town roads, and not include 40 other towns, it would be an injustice. What pepole don't know is that the commercial motor industry adds ten's of millions of dollars to the state bugget every year. We spend about $2,000 to register and $300 to $400 in permits and about $10,000 a year in fuel taxes not including more for speacial permits. The downfall for this industry is while they collect all this money from logging trucks and dump trucks, for that matter all trucks under special weight permits, which the state will sell to you with a smile, are ban from the only road system that was built for such wieghts. Inerterstates 91 and 89, where no wieght permits are allowed, farmers have great lobbiest in Washington DC, milk haulers can haul with their overweight permits on our interstate system. Tell me, does a pound of milk weigh the same as a pound of wood ? They ban us because the state knows that we will be tempted to get on the interstates with large loads. Remember that these loads are perfectly leagal to go up and down the wide expances of Rt.5 and Rt.2 and all the other state highways, HaHaHa. Through all the small towns meeting trafic, watching for cars backing out of driveways, pedestrins crossing the road, and while driving these legal weight trucks you remember the ones that the state sold the heavy wieght permits I wonder if the next corner holds a school bus in it! If we could get out of your towns we would happily do so. Think of it. Do you want trucks to stay on the small road systems? For the trucker its a waste of time, and it takes about 20% more fuel to take Rt.5 top to bottom then it would be to take I91. At today's fuel prices, thats a lot of money. For the state the reason is simple, the trucks that take a chance and get on the interstate system are often caught, fined thousands of dollars, and sent back to the small state roads to be legal again. Someone tell me if you think the road system is being distroyed by trucks? If so, hold up your registration and read "40" maybe "60 dollars a year" and smile, you did your part right? You think $40-$60 dollars should pay for the ware and tear you do. As for the trucking industry we will keep paying the rest of your share for you.

Bob can Kiss his second term goodbye unless he starts to get out and drive around Burlington downtown. Had a friend here from Quebec - a place we always complain that THEIR roads are poor - and he said Burlington roads reminded him of a 3rd world country.

Talk radio. We need action radio. Are you just asking for material to fill in a segment? Hold those people accountable that are not doing their job to insure public saftey.
I recieved (two) flates, in the same day.( one to that so called spare) On RT4 from bridgewater to Woodstock. The road is hazardous. It looks like it was hit by a metor shower. It cost me $135 for towing, new tire,etc $353.00 total.
To someone struggling to make ends meet., This buys a lot of groceries

If I, a private citizen allowed my public area to be in such disrepair, there would be someone holding me responsible. Let's make it our responsibilty to insure safe roads. So we can eliminate one pernnial topic.

Ron, Brandon
Posted by VPR Online Producer, Tim Johnson

Just a few weeks ago my wife and I were driving the 10 mile to her parents house for breakfast. She asked me if I thought that the roads are worse this year than in years past... we both feel that they are, as do her parents, and many others who I have asked this question. I am a truck driver, most of my driving is in Vermont, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts. I feel that the roads in all three of these states are in terrible shape. I don't believe that it is an issue of the local road crews, I know that in Addison County were I live, they work very hard, they are always making improvements to the ditches and the intersections. I think that the problem is money, the money for BIG projects such as paving and upgrades to the roads that are under-built for todays loads. Think about all of the milk trucks you see in a day, these trucks are legal up to #90,000 gross weight. Most of the tractor trailers you see are legal up to #80,000 gross. I know from experience that due to very tight profit margins in trucking, most of us regularly drive very over weight, over #100,000 just to try to squeeze as much out of every trip as we can. I feel that the shear quantity of trucks, legal and over weight combined with a lack of money for road upgrades is the greatest problem for our roads.

Thank you,

Judd

I live in Sutton located in the Northeast Kingdom. Our roads are absolutely horrendous. Holes and more holes everywhere. Even the Town plow truck needs to slow down - hello! I've contacted the town garage and selectmen, we'll see if that works. Other towns around me, Lyndon and Sheffield, have been doing repair work so that their taxpayers' teeth won't come loose, but not Sutton, not yet! I'll keep calling until they get sick of hearing from me.

It also doesn't help that the roads are posted for large trucks, etc. and they drive on the roads with chains anyway. The point for the posting is what?!?

Good luck to all who live on roads in disrepair!

I wonder which I'll lose first - something from under my car or my teeth as I clench them too hard from hitting yet another unseen rut.

My biggest concern, however, as I drive between Danby and Dorset is my fuel consumption. The shortest route on Danby Mountain Road is always a gamble at this time of year. Although partially paved at the top, the rest of the road has an ever-changing array of gaping pot holes, washed-out shoulders and washboard ridges. I can navigate these, but unless I'm sure the road is frozen solid, I don't take it because the biggest problem are the deep ruts that can form in the mud.

The paved alternatives are at least twice the distance - I am environmentally concious and this really irks me, especially with today's fuel prices. The road crews have recently put down gravel on the muddy areas, which does help. But I can't help wondering why, as the shortest route west and with all the traffic this road gets, they don't pave it?

In the back roads of Dummerston, pretty bad. The town did a great job of plowing snow during the winter. Now, it's almost impossible to not be hitting bumps and dips almost constantly.

I moved to Newport last summer. The roads in the area and on the way to Burlington were marginal then. After this bad winter, I don't think I have seen more that 20 miles of non-interstate roads where they did not need some major work.

I am thankful to the road crews in for their extensive winter work. However, I visualize frightening incidents between cyclists, pedestrians, and vehicles in the spring and summer here in Windham County. I don't know how the money is allocated but the cavernous holes, steep walled crevices, and elongated gaps in pavement are a real threat to everyone's safety. Of course the bridge in Williamsville peels apart before our eyes. Scary.

Well, you asked. As a native Vermonter who has driven on VT roads for thirty years, I have come to expect the ups and downs, the cracks and crevices and the not so occasional roller coaster/speed bump ride, especially at this time of year. My job takes me from Bristol to Burlington 5 days per week. Every week day I travel Rte 116 @ least through Hinesburg. I have thought the roads to be in need of repair; perhaps a bit rockier than past years. My opinion abruptly changed this past week when I cruised into what I can only describe as a crevasse coming out of the town of Bristol (according to the local farmer who helped us out, we were car #2 and #3 that morning). On an errand with the mister behind me, well, we both experienced the crevasse in all its glory, seconds apart. Two wasted rims, (one of which I naively thought was the covered with the plastic pressure-fitted kind of hub cap--nope custom aluminum rim), two flat tires, one new tire and one tow later, (and many hundreds of dollars) my thoughts have changed. All this being said, on this frustrating, time-wasting, exasperating start to a day which carried on into afternoon, I have to say the State Trooper who stopped and set the cone into the hole(think 1/4 top showing)and set-up a flare, to the folks at the AOT garage, who, with reasonable politeness, dealt with the kooky lady on the side of the road, to the guys we saw headed our way with the truck, shovels and hot pack as we limped home, to the promised incident/accident paperwork from AOT I received the next day in the mail, the response was immediate (alright, I was a bit over the top). I was and am impressed with the men and women who have the daunting task of keeping up roads with little in the way of resources. I can only imagine their frustration. Okay, thanks for listening. I feel better already, the checkbook might take awhile longer. Below are a few of the pics, and yes, that's the crevasse patched with my daughter standing in as my yardstick later that day--she's 5' 3."

Sections on Route 14 between Craftsbury and Hardwick and Craftsbury and Albany are almost impassable at times.

Add any amount of snow or ice to these sections and they are sooo dangerous to travel. You slip and slide every which way!!

I saw a pothole today that took off someone's hubcap. I am told that the road is deteriorating because of the number of large garbage trucks that travel the road.

I have seen some bad roads, and these, by far are the worst!!

Colchester Village, Rt 2A is the worst I have ever seen. State workers have been out to repair several times, but to no avail. My yard and driveway are now filled with several hundred pounds of gravel and other materials used to patch roads. Although the individuals from the state have been very understanding and sympathetic, my yard and driveway continue to be a disaster.

Route 114 From Lyndonville to Island Pond is about as bad as it gets. We travel this road weekly and each time are amazed at how deep the frost heaves are. There are several signs that say "bump", but it appears someone left off the "s". And we have noticed that the ones labeled are really bad, because the ones unlabled would be the worst anywhere else. There should be one sign at either end of the road.

I'm concerned about the I - 91 bridge over the West River in Brattleboro. According to one of my representatives in the Vt. Legislature, this bridge has the same design as the one that collapsed in Minnesota. The bridge is at least 40 years old and is visibly aging. It also carries one of the main traffic-arteries into Vermont.

Is it being constantly -- and very closely -- inspected?

If it needed serious structural work, closing it completely would be dramatic, and of course putting off any needed maintenance and structural work could have truly terrible consequences.

Who pays for whatever work is needed?

I can't help thinking about these questions as I drive over it at least twice a day.

Route 128 (Fairfax to Essex) is in the worst shape I have ever seen it. The frost heaves defy description both in number and height (depth?). They're so severe that in some places the pavement is breaking up and potholes are beginning to form. It's easy to identify the drivers who are familiar with the road - when there's no oncoming traffic they're the ones who appear to be driving under the influence as they weave about trying to avoid the hazards.

In Burlington, Pine Street is particularly bad. As a result our car is getting two new rims,and new axles and ball-joints! We try not to use our car, but often it is necessary. I support public transportation - the fewer cars on the road the better - thus saving money on car and road repairs.

I live just up the hill from Waitsfield in North Fayston. The roads in the Mad River Valley aren't too bad if you head North but SUCK if you head south. The drivers on Route 100 through "downtown" Waitsfield have actually created one of the world's first automatic steering roads. It's great! You just have to get your car's track in the sweet spot of the two huge depressions which run the length of the road through town. Then sit back, relax, and take your hands off the wheel. The road will drive for you!

In all seriousness, I am dismayed by the lack of urgency the state government seems to be taking on this issue. Doesn't Gov. Douglas drive over Middlebury Gap (Rte 125) everyday? This has got to be one of the worst roads anywhere. Yesterday I traveled the stretch of Route 100 between Stockbridge and Rochester and felt like I was skiing rock hard moguls at Mad River Glen. My car? Well, I just had all of the struts replaced and on the way to work this morning it was making a funny, and sadly familiar, noise. Back to the mechanics I go! Having traveled all over the country, the roads in this state are absolutely pathetic and I can't agree more with one of the posters on this thread whose friend said driving in Vermont is similar to driving in a third world country. What an embarrassment!

Roads aside, there is a bigger transportation issue out there which needs immediate attention. The bridges in this state, particularly the steel truss bridges that were built in the 1920s and designed for early 20th century travel, are a catastrophe waiting to happen. There are two close to where I live and I fear that any day now, these bridges will fail. The Kingsbury Bridge which is an essential feature spanning the Mad River and connects Waitsfield to Warren is a deathtrap and it is a miracle that an accident doesn't happen everyday on its landmined-esque deck. One of its concrete supports crumbled away sometime ago and in its place the state placed blocks of wood to hold it up. Nice.

Roads won't matter when the bridges break. With our state's many small rivers and streams branching out through the hills, the state must fix these before it's too late and we have cars plunging into the water. I could go on and on but I will end by pointing out that while vehicle travel is tough in Vermont, try being a cyclist here. Who wants to ride their bike to work, to the grocery store, for fun when the roads might crumble beneath your tires, or when there aren't any white lines painted on the sides of the roads letting motorists know who close they are to the edge of the road. Cyclists are supposed to have three feet of room between themselves and passing cars. Look it up. It's state law. How is that possible when the roads narrow year after year?

Something's got to be done and soon before it's too late.

My name is David and I live on Kenyon road in Richmond. This is a class three dirt road. The condition of this road seems to only get worse, not better. I have had to spend thousands of dollars to repair damage caused to my vehicles by the condition of this road. It has literally swallowed cars during mud season, cars commonly slide off the road on to their side because of poor maintenance and soft shoulders. This road has also left my house unreachable to fire trucks and police cars due to the poor condition and maintenance. This condition has left me, my family and my property in grave danger. In addition to pulling my stuck four wheel drive vehicles out on this road, I have also pulled out friends and family members attempting to drive to my house as well as countless strangers who have gotten stuck and come to my house seeking help. They usually ask to use the phone, but I always offer to tow them out with my truck. I have towed out cars, trucks, vans, busses and even the UPS truck. This road (when passable) is also a common short cut for people who live in the Hinesburg direction traveling too and from I89. It is common for people to drive through much faster than the posted 25 mile per hour posted speed limit, causing numerous accidents and near misses. The road is to narrow, and the shoulders to steep. We have had to pull our vehicles off the road numerous times to avoid collisions with speeding cars on the corners, resulting in our vehicles getting stuck on their side, in the ditch.

This road is NOT maintained to the minimum standards as defined by the Vermont League of Cities and Towns Vermont Highway Handbook,
Specifically the following sections:

19 V.S.A. § 310(a). 19 V.S.A. § 302(3)(B). 19 V.S.A. § 302(b).
19 V.S.A. § 310(d). 19 V.S.A. § 302(a)(3)(B). 19 V.S.A. §§ 302(a)(3)(B) and 310(d).

The Vermont League of Cities and Towns Vermont Highway Handbook, a guide to Vermont’s Highway Laws can be accessed at this URL http://res...y_hdbk.pdf This handbook contains all the applicable statutes as they pertain to state and municipal roads.

The Vermont League of Cities and Towns has worked with the legislature to create the laws governing the guidelines, rights and responsibilities of municipal and state highways, and they also granted the State and every municipality within the State immunity from any liability that results from negligence or failing to comply with the law. In addition to my family and property being in grave danger, this has cost me thousands and thousands of dollars in vehicle repairs. This is something I have been unsuccessfully urging the legislature to change for the last few years.


Kenyon Road has never come close to achieving the minimum state standards as specified by the state laws cited above since we moved to Richmond in 2001. Numerous meetings with the Richmond town highway department and the Richmond Select board proved ineffective. I pointed out that they were not maintaining the road to the minimum standards as specified by state law, and this was endangering the safety of my family and my property, in addition to costing me thousands of dollars in car repairs. I reminded them that the school bus no longer goes on this road due to it’s condition, requiring us to transport our children to and from school every day. I pointed out that I was paying the town of Richmond $6,000.00 a year in property taxes, yet not receiving the town services as required by state law. I showed them pictures of damages caused by the road conditions. I was told by the select board, namely the former char of the select board, Fran Thomas, that I chose to live on the road, therefore this situation is my problem.

Several years ago I was driving my new Subaru Outback home from work, and it became stuck in the middle of the road, only a few hundred feet from US Rt. 2. The deep mud in the road caused over $1,000 in damage to the car. I submitted a claim to the town for repairs. After a three month run around, The Vermont League of Cities and Towns (the town’s insurance carrier) rejected my claim, stating that mud is a natural occurrence and outside of the town’s control. I tried to sue the Town of Richmond in small claims court. The VLCT had my case dismissed, citing “sovereign immunity.” The maintenance of the road only got worse after this, and complaints to the town were dismissed with the town telling me I now knew the town was immune from any liability, therefore, they were going to take no action to rectify the situation.
The Town of Richmond’s annual solution to mud season is to close the road. Last spring the Richmond Police Department issued us $200.00 tickets via registered mail for driving on a closed road while trying to go to and from our house. Pointing out that as soon as we left our driveway we were driving on a closed road got us nowhere. We were told simply “when the road is closed, you cannot drive on it, period.”

Finally, a long conversation with the town administrator resolved the issue with the traffic tickets.

I am attaching some pictures of the road.
Thank you for doing this story.

Our all wheel drive Chrysler minivan being towed out with our military surplus four wheel drive pick up truck.

Our all wheel drive minivan stuck on Kenyon road at the bottom of our driveway.

This is the road at the bottom of our driveway, the Van is stuck, needed to be towed out and repaired. Vehicle was not drivable after it was towed out.

David, Richmond
Posted by VPR News Online producer, Tim Johnson