Flood Damage Strands Freetown Residents

April 5, 2010 - Freetown - Flooding from the Assonet River caused a host of problems for Freetown residents last week. Even though the rain has ended, severe damage to roads and bridges around the Assonet River has made the recovery process a slow one.

According to reports at The Herald News, numerous bridges in Freetown are still closed, including the Elm Street Bridge and Forge Road Bridge. Some residents on Beach Bluff Road are completely stranded. Before the flooding began, sandbags were set up along the road to help control the rising river water, but they were no match for the powerful floodwaters. Even now, there is at least 4 feet of floodwaters remaining along Beach Bluff Road.

Elm Street Bridge will likely be closed for some time due to extensive damage, and Christy Lane, which is often used an alternate road, is closed to personal traffic.

Making things worse for Freetown residents is the Monument Dam, which was also heavily damaged in the flood. Even passable roads and bridges are still dangerous, including the Narrows Road Bridge, where local authorities have resorted to placing stones on the bridge to fill in the numerous craters and potholes.