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Vermont is a big tourist destination for people in Connecticut who enjoy the outdoors. As the foliage season begins Vermont’s Office of Tourism says most of the state has recovered from Tropical Storm Irene and is "open for business". WNPR’s Nancy Cohen reports.
Parts of Vermont were hard hit by Irene. Just after the storm hundreds of miles of roads were closed, including sections of major east-west roads. Many of them have re-opened. But some Vermonters are worried about the economy. Tom Fusco runs a power equipment business in Marlboro that was flooded during the storm.
“We’re just hoping things pick up. We have a good tourist season, a good ski season."
The change of seasons is a reminder that things do shift, even in areas that were devastated. Steve Cook is the Deputy Commissioner of the Vermont Office of Tourism. He says tourists, like those from Connecticut, should come on up, but plan ahead. Segments of some roads are still closed.
“Plan their trip in order to find their destination quickly and efficiently. Our Vermont Agency of Transportation and our friends and neighbors from our neighboring states in New England have come together to help us get parts of Vermont and roads in Vermont that were heavily impacted back into business.”
Vermont is issuing a twice-weekly foliage report. Right now the best color is in the northeast. In southern Vermont, which was so hard hit by the storm, there are bright spots of early color.
