QUECHEE, Vt. (WCAX) – The leaves are turning which means fall foliage season has arrived. But construction on Route 4 in Quechee has some concerned the season could be dimmer than in previous years.
The next several weeks of the fall foliage season are a very important time for businesses across the region, but construction at a popular landmark in Quechee has local business owners concerned.
As a steady flow of cars crosses the Quechee Gorge Bridge, foot traffic is also picking up.
Tracy and Steve Kowalski are visiting from upstate New York. They say, in terms of road construction, it’s been smooth sailing.
“We haven’t noticed a whole lot,” Tracy Kowalski said. “It hasn’t affected our trip at all.”
But the bridge itself is down to one lane as it gets a complete overhaul. Because of that, traffic backs up.
“Oh, it has definitely slowed us down some,” said Patty Button, who has owned the Snack Bar at the Gorge for 15 years.
The nearby hiking trail entrance to the bottom of the gorge has been detoured to the welcome center down the road.
“I bang out on Facebook and such to make people realize we are open and do want to see them,” Button said.
“It’s a really big project,” VTrans Project Manager J.B. McCarthy said.
Bids for the three-and-a-half-year project first went out in 2022. The bridge is being fixed one lane at a time.
“We are using a system that actually senses the number of cars that are cued up at each end,” McCarthy said.
“It’s not like foliage season is going to close down just because there is construction,” said Havah Armstrong Walther of the Hartford Area Chamber of Commerce.
Armstrong Walther is also working to get the word out.
“The gorge is still open, the trails are still open, our businesses are still open,” Armstrong Walther said.
But only one view from the bridge is open to pedestrians during the length of the project which right now is to the north.
“It is kind of a bummer that the best view of it you can’t see,” said Ian Beers of Boston.
Business owners in the Quechee Village down the road say they are making the best of it.
“You know if we don’t fix the bridge, the bridge is going to fall down and then where are we,” said Tina Tuckman of the Snack Shack.
Construction will continue through the next fall foliage season, as well. Both lanes are scheduled to reopen in November 2025.