Road Restored: Gary’s Sunburst Drive Reconnects After Months of Isolation from Flood Damage, Thanks to Public and Volunteer Teamwork
Months of hardship for dozens of Gary residents have finally come to an end with the completion of a new access road on Sunburst Drive.
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Months of hardship for dozens of Gary residents have finally come to an end with the completion of a new access road on Sunburst Drive. Since a winter flood in February destroyed the only bridge connecting the neighborhood to the rest of McDowell County, families faced daily isolation, walking over a mile along train tracks simply to leave or return to their homes. Because the bridge was privately owned, options for state-funded repairs were drastically limited, placing the burden of restoration on creative, local collaboration. Over the past seven days, the project’s final stage unfolded rapidly as local government leaders coordinated with the West Virginia Division of Highways and the Department of Environmental Protection.
Materials and support were provided through a mix of county commission initiative, state assistance, and crucial volunteer labor. Local press confirmed the successful completion on September 23, with details of the partnership—and the scale of the challenge—coming into focus both in the media and official releases. For the Sunburst Drive community, the reopening of reliable road access is about more than convenience; it’s a matter of safety, economic stability, and daily well-being.
The newly built road restores essential connectivity for work, school, and emergency services.
Perhaps most notably, this response stands as an actionable example for rural areas wrestling with aging infrastructure and unpredictable natural disasters. Despite bureaucratic and ownership hurdles, McDowell County marshaled all available resources and achieved a result that state and local officials call “a model for coordinated disaster recovery.” Several questions remain for residents and officials—including the timeline for permanent repairs and how future incidents will be managed.
Further verification should include interviews with families directly affected, confirmation of project costs, and additional details from the county commission.
What is clear, however, is that Gary’s restored access road is not just a solution for one isolated crisis—it exemplifies the determination and teamwork that underpins life in McDowell County