HANCOCK — A weekend closure of Route 125 in Hancock is scheduled for the end of next week. 
The Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans) will replace the culvert located on Route 125 in Hancock near the old Piper Cemetery. The culvert is located approximately 2.5 miles west of the intersection of Route 125 and Route 100 in Hancock.  
Contractor J. Hutchins Inc. began preparations for demolition and construction this week — including getting equipment to the site, installing erosion control measures and a cofferdam, stockpiling material on the Piper property, and placing a three-foot culvert to bypass the box culvert. 
Route 125 is scheduled to be closed to through traffic at this location for three consecutive days beginning Friday, July 28, at 6 p.m., and reopening no later than 6 a.m. on Monday, July 31. Traffic will be maintained on a 25-mile detour during the weekend road closure. The detour route will follow Route 125 east in Hancock, south onto Route 100, west onto Route 73 in Rochester, north on Route 7 in Brandon, then west on Route 125 in Middlebury. One lane alternating traffic will be maintained at the location of the culvert for two weeks prior to the closure and for two weeks following the closure. 
VTrans is asking drivers to be aware that crews will be out working along the roadway during this period, and flaggers and traffic control may be present to assist in the flow of traffic during construction activities. When driving through the construction zone, reduce speed and use caution.
Once the road has been closed, J. Hutchins will begin excavation in order to remove the old culvert. In order to minimize the impact to the stream and the local ecosystem, a three-foot temporary culvert will be installed and the water from the stream will be diverted through this  temporary culvert and discharged back into the stream on the other side of  the road. This will direct the stream away from construction activities. Erosion control measures, project demarcation fencing, tree protection zones and other environmental protection measures will be taken before, during and at the completion of this project to ensure as minimal a disturbance to the surrounding area as possible.
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