A year after Matthew, residents frustrated as Cumberland County road remains closed

CUMBERLAND COUNTY, North Carolina (WTVD) -- Residents along one Cumberland County street that was washed away by Hurricane Matthew are still waiting for the road to be rebuilt.

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Tranquility Road doesn't really take after its name. Ever since Hurricane Matthew ripped it apart, residents have lost their peace of mind. It's the only paved road in the Hall Park subdivision, all others are dirt paths.

Residents are forced to take a 3.5-mile dirt path detour to get home and to their mail boxes, making for a bumpy and damaging ride. Residents also fear the path is too narrow for first responders to get through.

Gray's Creek Fire Department told ABC11 they've managed just fine, but they admitted the detour has chipped away at their response time.

Advocates and Hall Creek homeowners are ready to return to normality and said they believe getting the road fixed will help pave the way.

"We just need help here with FEMA. The funds are frozen because people with Harvey and Irma. There's no money. And basically we don't know what to do. These are all private homeowners. They take turns dragging this road. How do you deal with something like this?' said one resident who did not want to be identified.

The fears and concerns have not fallen on deaf ears. Email chains between advocates and Cumberland County Assistant Manager Tracy Jackson show the county listed steps and procedures for bringing the private road up to DOT standards; thus opening the potential for a repair.

From there, it's on Hall Park residents to come together to determine how they'll move forward in the process.

Residents told ABC11 that repairs will cost $60,000.

"As it stands now, we're taking it all on ourselves," a resident said.