HOOPERS ISLAND, MD. - Concerns in Dorchester County are escalating as quickly as sinkholes are appearing on the Hoopers Island Causeway. County leaders acknowledge that this has been a recurring issue, especially following major storms, dating back to the 90's.
Along the causeway, orange cones warn drivers of recently patched holes or new sinkholes. However, residents believe more substantial repairs are necessary.
Helen Peel, who drives over the causeway twice daily to deliver mail on Hoopers Island, describes the frustration. "Every time there's wind like this or a storm like we're going to have tonight, the next day I can always see a new pothole, a new cut-out from the guardrail, and they get bigger and deeper," says Peel.
Peel emphasizes that the road needs more than temporary fixes. "Even if there is patchwork done, drivers are still avoiding the area," she says. "You have to. If someone is approaching, you just have to stop and let them go by."
Volunteer firefighter Jack Mooney shares similar concerns, especially when crossing the causeway in firetrucks or ambulances. "Some are really, really bad. We're trying to contact the county to get those areas straightened out because it is a safety concern," Mooney says.
County Councilman Rob Kramer acknowledges that the patchwork is just patchwork. "At this point, that's what we're doing until we secure the financing. I mean, that's literally all the county can do at this point," says Kramer. "There is some infrastructure money offered through the federal government that we've started the process on and are basically trying to expedite."
The Dorchester County Council reached out to the federal government for grant money approximately five to six weeks ago but has yet to receive a response. Kramer says the next steps for repairing the causeway will be determined by the amount of funding the county receives.