The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1921-12-20

of 300 Feet at Curves When Practical
BILE - Matter to Be Laid Before State
Department
State Highway Commissioner Thur
man w. Dix of Montpelier arrived here
yesterday afternoon from a meeting of
state highway officials in the West and
attended the weekly session of the Sc
lectmen last night. when proposition
to remove some of the ledge on the east
side of the highway north of the three
bridges was discussed. This morning
Commissioner Dix visited the ledge to get
"a better idea of the situation, and it
was arranged to have Civil Engineer
James E. Helyar send to the state high
way department headquarters a survey
of the ledge, provided one is not already
on file there
Commissioner Dix was accompanied to
the ledge by Selectmen w. E. Stellman
and Freeman Scott, Road Commissioner
c. j. Dube. District Highway Commis-
sioner II. f. Coombs. Engineer Helyar.
Frank f Barber and member of The
RefoFmer staff.
For many years the curve at that
point has been recognized as dangerous,
and numerous accidents have happened
there and many others narrowly aYerted,
but there is no way of widening the road
without removing the point of the ledge.
Ii was very apparent to State Commits
sioner Dix that the curve was dangerous
and ought TO be improved. and he said the
, proposition was not as difficult az he had
anticipated. He could make no definite
statement rs to what probably would be
done until after the proposition had been
submitted to the state highway board
I Ia 81 a no FINN dc faV. oh
work had been exhausted. Still ii is
possible that some arrangement may be
made whereby the financial end viii be
taken care of.
Commissioner Dix explained to the
party tnat the policy of the department.
in reducing curves was to provide for a
clear vision of 300 feet in either direction
at all points. If the work does not in
volve unreasonable expense. In this in
stance there are points where the vision
is less than 100 feet. a vision of 300
feet probably could be obtained by cut
ting back into the rocky point 10 or
II feet, and the estimated cost rs under
$1,000.
At the last session of the legislature,
/ Mr. Barber, town representative. made
application to have the curve in question
Improved at state expense. The cOndi-
| tion of the road work in Brattleboro IS
such at the present time that Road Com
missioner Dobe could put his men at
work removing the point of the ledge.
giving them something to do and at the
same time making needed public i'm
provement. Thus it came about that
through requests Of the town, the Board
! of Trade and Mr.. Barber a visit from
Commissioner Dix was secured.
/ 1t was agreed that the town would
take care of any right of way question
that might be involved and would do the
work and would dispose of the stone
blasted out, possibly using some of it
/ TO fill in at the curve n little farther
north, which would improve that curve
also.
After visiting the ledge Commissioner
! Dix and NnSSrS. Stellman, Helyar,
/ Coombs and Dube drove up the West
= Dummerston road TO look over the stretch
of road bordering on West river near
the town line. where there is constant
trouble in the spring of the year.