Mill Street: a conundrum of bridges

By Curt Peterson

At 6 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 29, Debra and Chuck Dupuis, who live just past the second covered bridge on Mill Street, called 9-1-1 and asked for an ambulance. Chuck, 73, who has diabetes, has had by-pass surgery, and suffers dementia, exhibited symptoms of transient ischemic attack (TIA), what’s called a “mini-stroke.” He seemed confused and unresponsive.

The Dupuises’ home is served by Hartford’s ambulance service. EMTs tried access via Quarry Road, an unmaintained track through Twin State Sand and Gravel property, because weight limits on the covered bridges — 8,000 pounds, or four tons — precluded the shorter route. The ambulance drivers were not aware the road gate is locked with a code to open it.

They drove around to Mill Street, but the 8,000 pound weight limit prohibited ambulance use. So EMTs ran across the bridges to the Dupuises’ to fetch Chuck with a gurney.

“The EMTs arrived an hour after my call,” Debra said. “They were very nice and kind to Chuck.”

However, a gurney stabilizing system would not work. A second was ambulance summoned.

“By this time,” Debra told the Mountain Times, “Chuck had become very agitated by the commotion, strangers, and having no idea what was happening.”

Debra got her car, picked her husband up with the EMTs’ assistance, and drove him home to calm him down. In the time since her call, his TIA symptoms had subsided.

Just about then the second ambulance arrived, and both vehicles returned to Hartford.

“Chuck’s doctor told us there was no purpose for bringing him to the hospital if his symptoms were gone,” Debra recalled.

She reported Chuck’s blood pressure, which was a little elevated, and his sugar level to his doctor and scheduled him an appointment the next week.

Sunday evening Debra posted a narrative of their adventure on the Hartland town listserv.

“This is unacceptable.  A couple months ago the Select Board held a meeting addressing concerns about the covered bridges. Neighbors were assured access to Mill Street by emergency services was not an issue and the subject was abruptly shut down.  Fortunately we live just beyond the second bridge.  What would have happened if the emergency was further up Mill Street North?”

Hartland Town Manager John Broker-Campbell told the Mountain Times that there were complications involved in the event. Uninformed Hartford ambulance EMTs were responsible for the troubling response time, he said.

Use of the bridges has been a topic of local frustration for some time. The town hired an engineer to check the safety of the bridges, who found the first bridge sound, but the second in deteriorated condition. A VTrans engineer agreed with the earlier assessment.

A state statute sets the 8,000 lb. weight limit for all covered bridges and Hartland’s are correctly posted.

Debra says Quarry Road access is challenging, particularly in the winter. Their trash service has refused to service the residents, and the propane company waits till end-of-day so their delivery truck is light enough to cross the bridges legally.

Asked if she has considered selling her home due to the bridge problem, Debra said she will stay as long as they physically can.

“We love this house,” she said.

A meeting was orchestrated by VTrans in Montpelier, meant to evaluate possible solutions to the covered bridges problem.

At the October 7 Hartland selectboard meeting a memo advising Windsor Ambulance services they are primary responders to Mill St. was approved unanimously – Windsor has smaller, lighter ambulances that can legally use the bridges. 9-1-1 calls from that area will be routed to Windsor, rather than Hartford, via the Hartford dispatch service.

The obvious choice of improving the Quarry Road access is complicated. Acting board chair Tom Kennedy first apologized to Mill Street residents for their problem, and said an agreement with Twin State Sand and Gravel is being renegotiated to allow Hartland to improve and maintain the road through their property. A resident pointed out that the approach to the gate is very steep, and stopping in time in winter is a challenge. Broker-Campbell said the town is creating signage that should help non-emergency vehicles avoid dead-ending at the gate, including foliage tourists.

“Mill Street, believe it or not, is listed on GPS as a good foliage route,” Kennedy lamented. “Do you have any idea how hard it is to get a route deleted from GPS maps?!”