Avery Hill Road Ext. Closed for Repairs

Avery Hill Road Extension, the much-used and very bumpy road that runs between Route 214 (Stoddards Wharf Road) and Whalehead Road is closed, at least through today, and possibly longer, while it is being resurfaced.

The resurfacing job is extensive, and the most radical road repair procedure short of restoring the road bed. The entire old road – bumpy, swollen, cracked and crumbled – is removed, and a new roadway put down in its place.

Ledyard Police Sgt. Tom Olsen spent much of Tuesday stationed at the Whalehead Road end of Avery Hill Road Ext. His job was to keep people from driving on the road. The orange cones set up at the end of the road are just not enough, he said.

By Tuesday evening, the Avery Hill Road Ext. was down to dirt at each end.

While the job is not exciting, it does give Olsen time to catch up on his reading. And he’s being paid overtime, he said. That makes up for at least some of the boredom.

The road is among many on a town schedule for repairs or resurfacing. On May 17, voters will be asked to approve a $3 million bond issue for road maintenance over the next three years.