December 16, 2015
Maine

Damaged road in Piscataquis County leaves residents frustrated

By Brenna Kelly | WABI TV5 | December 13, 2015 | wabi.tv

Unseasonably warm temperatures have been the trend this season. And while that may be good news to some people, residents in Parkman and Abbot are concerned about destroyed muddy roads because of it.

Trucks have been hauling excavators along a road the past couple weeks for a windmill project. Their construction site is along Crow Hill Rd. in Parkman and Gales Rd. in Abbot.

It’s one road that connects the two towns, but the name changes after crossing the town line. It’s the company’s only way in.

Though it’s the right weather for greasy mud roads, Parkman and Abbot residents say this project alone is causing the deep, impassable ruts.

“Very severe economically. Getting in and out can be almost impossible, even with some four-wheel drives. You have to push your way through it,” said Carl O’Donnell, the head of the Parkman planning board.

For Tracy Bonney-Corson and her family, it’s more than just getting to and from work.

They own two businesses right along the access road. Ironically, one is a towing company.

“I understand that they have project timelines, that they have financial implications, but so do we and we’re a lot smaller business and don’t have the depth of resources which they do,” she said.

“Until this is smoothed out and froze up, I mean, I don’t see how we could get a small vehicle in there,” said Tracy’s son Nate Wing, a mechanic at J&N Automotive.

Tracy estimates they lose $600 each business day because of the damage. She says the project manager and Parkman Town Manager have communicated.

The company agrees to fix the roads, but she says they’ve given no time frame.

“There has to be better collaboration and working relationships between these out-of-state companies, out-of-state interest, and the local communities, the citizens that are living there,” said Tracy.

Family members say they have no issue with the frequently disputed wind project.

“In turn, you would think that they would, you know, try to be respectful to our land, trying to get in and out….our business, you know it just hasn’t seemed to have been that way,” said Wing.

Tracy says there’s about 30 homes along the road. That’s dozens of residents who, without four-wheel drive, have a hard time getting out.

The Parkman Town Manager declined to comment and TV5 is still waiting to hear back from project leaders.

Check back for details.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2015/12/16/damaged-road-in-piscataquis-county-leaves-residents-frustrated/