Temporary road closure irks local farmers

Farmers in Orange County are upset over a sudden closure of a rural road that leads to their farmlands. According to town officials, part of Indiana Road was closed due to a ?serious safety hazard.?

News 12 Staff

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May 28, 2014, 6:56 PM

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Updated 3,712 days ago

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Farmers in Orange County are upset over a sudden closure of a rural road that leads to their farmlands.

According to town officials, part of Indiana Road was closed due to a ?serious safety hazard.?

Town Supervisor Doug Bloomfield says a civil engineer, who inspected the road, advised the town to close and repair it immediately after a crack was found in the pavement.

The town chose to close the road abruptly in order to protect drivers and to keep themselves covered by insurance companies in case someone gets injured or dies, Bloomfield says.

?If we know we have a hazard, and we ignore it [?] we?re held liable,? he says.

But farmers are fighting the road closure out of fear that the town could shut down another road, cutting off all access to their land.

Bloomfield adds that the closure is temporary and he will discuss it at Monday?s town board meeting, and he wants input from the affected farmers.

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