Towns Consider New Road Around Route 100

(Host) Three hill towns that were isolated from the rest of the state after Tropical Storm Irene are considering improving a Class 4 road that would reconnect local routes this winter.

Town officials from Hancock, Rochester and Granville are working on an agreement to build a road that would link two town roads with Route 100.

Churchville Road, which runs through Hancock, is currently open with one lane. It's only accessible to residents and patients who need medical treatment.

(Rowles) "Basically there's a maze of roads on the east side of the three towns."

(Host) Asah Rowles is a volunteer coordinator in Granville. She runs a bike shop with her husband and says business is down 30 percent because the side roads that have reopened are continuing to crack.

(Rowles) "A lot the towns that were affected directly by Irene are not gold towns, and they are already facing major economic hurdles as a town and as citizens, and we really need help from the government to come in with engineers and machinery to get these roads fixed."

(Host) Rowles wishes the towns would focus on repairing the roads that already exist, instead of building a new one.

The three towns say the goal is to reach an agreement, put down the gravel and build culverts before the snow flies.

But there are questions about who would pay for it. There are also environmental issues about whether the Agency of Natural Resources would even allow a new road in that area.