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Usually, neighborhood meetings rarely attract more than twenty people. But on the first "bridge" in Vitet, on Friday August 30, the President of the Collectivité attended by some sixty residents. This was hardly surprising, given the situation that the residents of Vitet and Dévé have been facing since July 19. This date was marked by the landslide that occurred at the entrance to the Vitet road, at the top of the Camaruche rise. This incident led to the publication of a danger order for the house built overhanging the road. The house was in danger of collapsing at the slightest heavy downpour. Since then, residents have had to use the Chemin des Trois Forces to reach Marigot, before taking the Lorient or Grand Fond roads. It's a situation that's dragging on and on, and one that's deeply irritating the local population.
Reopening in early October?
Organized at the initiative of the Collectivité and the district's referent, Annick Aubin, the meeting was an opportunity for President Xavier Lédée to explain in detail the steps taken by his departments since July 19. No one wants this road to remain closed for long," asserts the elected official. The logical thing to do was to let the owner do the work. Things went well at first, but then we got some less encouraging feedback. So we took back control to move forward more quickly. "Initially, the residents watched and listened.
The president explains that the reopening date initially envisaged - September 19 - has been postponed. "Today, we estimate that it will be early October," declares Xavier Lédée, triggering a brouhaha of discontent among the residents. He went on to unveil the schedule for the project. Following receipt of a study commissioned from a specialist firm, work to make the road safer is due to start between September 6 (tomorrow) and Monday 9. The work will be carried out in several stages, leading to the reopening of the road around October 4 or 5. The house will then have to be addressed.
Although a protective wall will be erected below the house on the roadside, work is still needed to prevent the building from collapsing. We'll have a report on what needs to be broken off the house," explains Xavier Lédée. There are a lot of unanswered questions. Was it too busy? Poorly designed? We checked the sanitation and it was indeed designed for 35 people. "Part of the audience bursts out laughing, the other angry. "That's why there's been run-off for months," quips one man. "After Irma, they didn't know what to do with the work," says a local resident. "It was a foregone conclusion that it would all fall down," says a woman. The exchanges become more heated, and it becomes more difficult to make oneself heard.
"All you have to do is destroy the house".
When relative calm is restored, several people demand that a space be opened up on the road so that vehicles can pass. "Do you really think we haven't looked for a solution? "replies Xavier Lédée, who insists: "The decision we took was made to avoid a tragedy. We're doing everything we can to reduce delays. "This goodwill doesn't seem to be enough in the eyes of the residents. "All we have to do is demolish the house, clear it away, and that's it," suggests one man. General approval. "You don't just destroy someone's house," retorts the president of the Collectivité.
The neighborhood referent, Annick Aubin, like other residents, points out that the closure of the road leads to many other problems. These include the deterioration of the Route des Trois Forces and the entrance to the Route de Marigot. "A wall is collapsing," warns one resident. The traffic of trucks weighing over 3.5 tonnes is not helping the situation. In addition, residents are concerned about the difficulties that firefighters or ambulances might encounter in the event of an emergency. Xavier Lédée insists that the Collectivité is "trying to reduce all delays" and reaffirms: "It's in the general interest that the road be closed. "
The meeting ends after the thorny issue of waste collection and storage has been raised. With this boast thrown into the air but which could be perceived as a promise: "So, we'll meet again on October 4 and if the road remains closed, we'll block the Tourmente. "A resident concludes: "We're calm, but it won't last much longer. "The warning couldn't be clearer.
