Holley mayor wants plan for fixing damaged culvert that has shut down Veterans Drive entrance

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 19 October 2026 at 10:23 am

File photo by Tom Rivers: This photo from May shows the entrance of Veterans Drive being barricaded to prevent traffic from going through.

HOLLEY – Mayor Mark Bower said it will be costly to replace the culvert on Veterans Drive but he wants to start the process of getting a new small bridge eventually in place.

The culvert was badly damaged by a powerful storm on April 1 with flooding. The road and culvert are both crumbling.

The entrance has been blocked off to traffic. Bower doesn’t want to see the entrance stay closed long-term, saying that it hurts the VFW Post, a tannery business and the companies in the Holley Business Park.

Wendel, an engineering firm, has offered to do a preliminary engineering assessment for free for replacing the culvert. Bower said a new culvert and road repairs could be around $850,000. Wendel will be able to provide more specific numbers.

Holley could then pursue grant funding for the project.