SHARPSBURG, MD - It's the calm after the storm.
"We're very thankful that we had no one hurt, no injuries, and we got through this storm variably unscathed," says Ed Plank, Director of the Washington County Highway Department.
But now comes the clean-up.
Washington County officials say although they do love our historic stone arch bridges, there is just not enough room under the arches to let all of the debris flow through during the storms.
"We have quite a few of them in the county, and that is a big catch-all for debris," says Plank. "Trees that come down stream, due to the fact of the banks being wet and trees falling over and then floating down stream."
Many of the fallen trees are still on telephone wires and front yards.
"The front of the house has a tree down, it hit the rain gutters, but other than that everything kind of fell away from the house," says Bill Caly, a local resident.
Previously, the county would haul storm debris to the landfill but now they're recycling it and saving money.
"It's been very, very helpful for us. It's all used for mulch and we're very pleased that's at no cost to the citizens. We're trying to do everything we can to speed up this process because of the delays in closing roads," says Plank.
Officials are hopeful that all bridges will be cleared in the next couple of days, and life should be closer to normal.
"We're very thankful that we had no one hurt, no injuries, and we got through this storm variably unscathed," says Ed Plank, Director of the Washington County Highway Department.
But now comes the clean-up.
Washington County officials say although they do love our historic stone arch bridges, there is just not enough room under the arches to let all of the debris flow through during the storms.
"We have quite a few of them in the county, and that is a big catch-all for debris," says Plank. "Trees that come down stream, due to the fact of the banks being wet and trees falling over and then floating down stream."
Many of the fallen trees are still on telephone wires and front yards.
"The front of the house has a tree down, it hit the rain gutters, but other than that everything kind of fell away from the house," says Bill Caly, a local resident.
Previously, the county would haul storm debris to the landfill but now they're recycling it and saving money.
"It's been very, very helpful for us. It's all used for mulch and we're very pleased that's at no cost to the citizens. We're trying to do everything we can to speed up this process because of the delays in closing roads," says Plank.
Officials are hopeful that all bridges will be cleared in the next couple of days, and life should be closer to normal.
