George Dorsey, owner of the Pitcher Inn and The Warren Store, got one day’s notice before a road project in Warren Village closed Main Street in front of his businesses for up to three weeks at the start of foliage season.
“I received notice on September 22 that the road would be closed on September 24,” Dorsey said, prior to the Warren Select Board’s September 23 meeting.
The road project, managed by Parent Construction, involves repair work to a sunken sidewalk and manhole on the south side of the Main Street bridge in Warren Village. According to Warren Select Board chair Devin Klein-Corrigan, the work has been in discussion for several years and was formally budgeted last year, with Parent’s $149,000 proposal accepted on August 12.
Dorsey said his businesses –which are on both sides of Main Street between Flat Iron Road and Brook Road – were left out of the planning process.
PEAK SEASON DISRUPTION
Dorsey explained that the Pitcher Inn and The Warren Store – together with associated staff housing – have been profitable only one month out of the past 60. With the fall foliage season being one of the only reliably busy periods of the year, he said, even a small disruption has an outsized impact.
“These next weeks are our window of time,” Dorsey said. “Leaf peepers are here. This is a very difficult time to schedule the work that you have scheduled.”
The road closure affects deliveries, access, and guest experience. Dorsey’s delivery trucks, which typically pull into The Warren Store’s lot, will need to navigate a closed street and potentially reverse out. Guests at the inn will be subject to jackhammering, noise, and sidewalk demolition during their stays.
“Drive by McDonald’s, there are five cars in a line – you just drive by,” Dorsey said. “But if we are congested out here, things are not working. The few exciting opportunities for people to come in will be reduced substantially.”
COMMUNICATED SOONER
Klein-Corrigan acknowledged that the town failed to properly notify Dorsey and said the oversight won’t be repeated.
“I’ve apologized to George for not including them sooner in the conversation,” Corrigan said. “It was an oversight that is unfortunate, and we’ve discussed the need to make sure we coordinate with them in the future and keep them apprised of projects that have an effect on their guests and traffic patterns.”
Klein-Corrigan said the sidewalk repair had been discussed in previous meetings, and the board met with Parent Construction on August 22 to go over the project. While public meeting minutes from that time note that work would begin in September or October, no specific date was communicated to affected businesses until this week.
“I did call Tim Parent back after I spoke with George,” Corrigan said. “I asked about postponing the work. He said he can’t do that, and he doesn’t think it’s wise to pour concrete sidewalks in November.”
Corrigan added that concrete prices go up after November 1, and colder weather affects curing. “It’s not that it isn’t ever done,” she said, “but it’s more expensive, and it doesn’t cure as well. If we postponed, it would push the work into next year.”
CONCESSIONS MADE
In response to Dorsey’s concerns, Corrigan said the town has limited working hours for the contractor. Parent Construction will work Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. to minimize disruption.
She also said the contractor would attempt to accommodate delivery trucks, including semis.
“If they know when to expect the trucks,” Corrigan said, “they can probably shift themselves over enough to allow them to pass through on the bridge.”
Dorsey said he’s willing to coordinate directly with the contractor, but stressed the need for more formal communication from the town in the future.
“We want to be a partner with the town,” Dorsey said. “But we need you to keep us in mind. We’re right in the heart of the commercial district. These projects really affect us.”
“I would ask that you have some blackout dates, times when you’re not going to do projects like this,” he said. “I’m sure you wouldn’t do a project like this on the Fourth of July, for example, and I don’t see why this period should be any different from a commercial standpoint.”
Corrigan agreed, promising better communication moving forward. “We need to do a better job staying in touch,” she said. “Please keep an eye on the agenda, and we’ll do our best to keep you informed.”
For now, Main Street will remain closed to vehicular traffic with detour signs posted at Brook Road and Flat Iron Road. Pedestrian access will be maintained on one side of the bridge.
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