Closed bridge cripples local businesses

FREETOWN, Mass. (WPRI) - The closure of a bridge in Freetown has had a devastating impact on businesses in the village of Assonet.

The Elm Street Bridge has been shut down since the end of March, when part of it was washed away in the historic floods.

Tom Borges, the owner of Grandpa's Place convenience store on South Main Street, said he has seen revenue drop 60 percent.

"We stopped selling gas because the sales were down so much, I couldn't afford to have an attendant out there pumping it," Borges said.

"On top of the econmy, it's just another blow to this town and the people here," adds Russell Bernier, who owns nearby Kathy's Coffee Shop and Creamery. "What we really need to do is get the bridge open as quickly as possible."

It could be a while before that happens. State transportation officials said work on the bridge won't begin until sometime in July. The state also needs to get permission from the Historical Commission before it makes any repairs, since the bridge was built in 1822.