Oak Bluffs officials Tuesday closed East Chop Drive due to concerns about the safety of the road in the stormy, rainy weather. Fire Chief John Rose said the roadway would remain closed until 8 am, Thursday morning.
The National Weather Service has issued a wind advisory, which is in effect from 3 pm to 10 pm Tuesday. Wind gusts up to 35 miles an hour are expected.
The crumbling corniche that wraps around East Chop bluffs and overlooks Nantucket Sound has a long history of erosion-related closures. It was closed for two years after hurricane Bob in 1991. The seaward lane was closed in November 2012 as a result of erosion from Superstorm Sandy. Three months later, winter storm Nemo caused damage that closed the road entirely for two weeks. One lane remained closed until late June of 2013, when it was reopened to reduce traffic on the alternate routes that cut through residential areas of East Chop.
