Letter: Support the Repair of Bridges in Hinesburg
Reader urges voters to approve bond issue Nov. 4 to rebuild Beecher Hill Road bridges
By Nathan Petter
In November, Hinesburg residents will get to vote on authorizing financing for the repair of three bridges in our town. Notably, this is not a requirement to borrow money and the town can still change course. Authorizing the bond for the town’s portion of the bill will unlock federal and state funds that will cover the majority of the cost of these projects. In case this limited time deal isn’t enough to convince you to support this measure, I’d like to remind you of the importance of road connectivity in a community.
Roads are an essential public good in any functioning economy or community, and designing resilience into the road system keeps it working smoothly during weather, traffic, safety, or maintenance events. One of the key principles to having a resilient network is redundancy and diversity in route connections. Instead of having short spurs that funnel onto main highways, having more roads that connect to each other makes a stronger network where users have alternate route choices to avoid disruptions or can simply choose another path.
My house is now a canyon-front property, and the decrease in traffic on Beecher Hill Rd. since the bridge washed away in July 2024 has been quite significant. This is a clear indication of just how many people in our community found value in this connection. In addition to the hundreds of individuals who visit the waste drop-off center weekly, I’ve spoken to individuals who are not direct residents who frequently used Beecher Hill Rd. as a connection because they saw it as safer, shorter, or simply more scenic. That is exactly what road networks are for and exactly what we, as taxpayers, should be funding for the common good of our community.
I implore Hinesburg residents to support the maintenance and rebuilding of this road and all public infrastructure to keep our community strong and maintain the freedom of all road users to choose the route that best meets their needs. Remember that even if a road is not a primary route for you personally, having it open likely reduces congestion on the route you travel and gives you options should you need to seek an alternate path.
Please vote Yes on the bridge bond on November 4.
For more information, seek out the documentation from the selectboard meeting on Oct. 15 in the story about the meeting and bond issues published by The Record.
Editor’s Note: Nathan lives right next to where the July 2024 storm washed out the road.