Shelton Eyes Road Improvements

Shelton residents are anxiously awaiting specifics on how municipal officials plan use about $4 million recently earmarked for sorely needed road repairs.

Officials tell Patch they need to put together a comprehensive plan before individual streets can be identified as part of the project, scheduled for the next two to five years.

According to Board of Aldermen President John Anglace, groups that must weigh in include municipal administration, public works and engineering officials.

Shelton's most traveled roads likely would be addressed first, Anglace said, but city officials are taking everything into account.

"We have over 200 miles of roads," Anglace said. "That's a lot to take care [of]."

The measure was passed by a nearly 4-to-1 ratio by Shelton voters earlier this month, Anglace said, at 10,448 to 2,512.

"That's overwhelming," he said.

Shelton drivers say they're looking forward to the physical improvements.

Lauren DiCenzo, who voted in favor of the bill, said that the need for repairs is something she often thinks about in her daily travels.

"The condition of our roads is correlated to the safety of drivers, and the to the maintenance of our cars," she told Patch. "I can't stand all the potholes and torn up sections I have to drive over sometimes. I'm glad the bill was passed."

Anglace said the work will be accelerated thanks to a so-called "road-milling machine," purchased earlier this year.

"With that, we are completing twice as much work, twice as fast. It's great," he said. The new tool also saves time and costs because services won't need to be contracted.

"Road work is important," Anglace continued. "When you repair or rebuild or construct something new, you get a useful life out of those roads for five to ten years, sometimes more. It's expensive, but the right way to handle it is to make it a capital expense."

The money will be spent through bonding, and though interest will be accrued, reductions in spending debts from other areas, like schools, will create a balancing effect, so there "will not be a significant effect on taxes," Anglace said.

"Road problems have plagued towns for years," he said. "Every winter you get cracks and holes and all different problems. Once we get through that season, we can really start to look at all the roads. We have the good, solid resources and committees to determine priorities."