Kerby, Ore., — Gary Paul and his wife park their car at the bottom of Holton Creek Road, walk across the bridge, and get picked up on the other side.
“How inconvenient has that been? Very! After a while you get a little upset and stir crazy.” said Paul.
This new normal is the result of recent storms that have washed away the only bridge that connects Holton Creek Road in Kerby, to the rest of the world.
A problem that Paul says he’s never had before.
“I’ve been here close to 30 years and it hasn’t.”
But it’s more than just an inconvenience.
The Illinois Valley Fire District can’t get back there either, firefighters sent out a warning to residents to use extreme caution.
“If there’s a fire, it’s gone. So. It’s only one road in and one road out, even during fire season we’ve been told we’re out of luck.” said Paul.
Even more bad news for these residents — Holton Creek Road is the end of Josephine County Road Maintenance.
Meaning, the Paul’s and the other nine families, are left to fix the broken bridge on their own.
“We got a 40 foot flat bed that we’re gonna be putting in. It will be temporary, and then possibly in the spring we’ll put in another culvert.” said Paul.
But Paul is taking it in stride.
“It’s the privilege of living without any neighbors, or close neighbors anyway.”
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