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caption, page 1:
The sinkhole on Needles Eye Road in Pomfret. Courtesy photo.
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Wider view of the sinkhole on the "bridge" on Needles Eye Road, Pomfret. Courtesy photo.
Sinkhole sets town
on search for grants
By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
POMFRET –It may be a long while before the sinkhole that appeared on Needles Eye Road can be fixed.
First Selectman Maureen Nicholson said she’s been gathering information and advice from local officials including Pomfret’s road foreman, the town engineer, Putnam’s Highway Superintendent Travis Sirrine (who brought along a couple contractors Putnam has used on its bridge projects) and Pomfret’s Zoning Enforcement Office Ryan Brais.
As with most infrastructure woes, it has to start with finding funding. “First we’ll have to find an engineer for recommendations,” she said.
The state’s Small Town Economic Assistance Program (STEAP) grant application process opens in September, she said. One bit of hopeful news — the Airline Trail and the Connecticut Audubon Society facility use that road and that may open up possibilities for the funding search.
Since there is no longer any water flowing under the “bridge” it’s not really a bridge anymore. It’s not a wetland so a bridge is not needed, she said.
There is a culvert far below the road surface. The area from the top of the culvert to the road surface, 15 feet above, was filled with sand, possibly from the Murdock property about 70 years ago. A crack developed in the culvert and the sand flowed through the crack and into the flowing water, leaving a void that resulted in the sinkhole in the road’s surface July 22.
The structure has “dry laid” stone walls which are not structural. The dry stone head wall and downstream retaining wall are about 20 feet high. Because it’s not structural, sadly “we cannot recreate that and it will have to go,” Nicholson said.
The state requires towns to inspect all bridges that are shorter than 20 feet, and culverts. Unfortunately the Needles Eye Road structure was never on the list.
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