Finding the Right Road to Repairs

Everyone seems to agree that the town’s roads need work.

But the solutions do not come as easily.

Among the questions to be answered are: How does the town pay for it? And should the worst roads be tackled first, at a high cost, or should the town maintain roads in fair condition to keep them from getting worse?

Those were among the questions tackled last night as the Board of Selectmen met with members of the Feasibility Committee at a workshop to discuss the future of road work in town.

This was one of a series of planning sessions scheduled in advance of the May Town Meeting.

Echoing sentiments he expressed at previous meetings, selectman John Carlson said that residents want to know what is being done to repair the town roads.

“What I’m looking for and what people are asking me is: What is the plan?’’ he said.

Fixing all town roads that need work would be “very expensive,’’ said Highway Superintendent David Crouse.

“People don’t know the scale of those costs,’’ selectmen John Dowling said. “People say: Why don’t you just fix the roads?’’

Carlson agreed that it’s “a balancing act,’’ but said that “somehow on the other side of the scale we have to figure out’’ how to repair roads in poor conditions.

Another factor to consider is how heavily traveled the roads in question are, board members said.

Feasibility committee member Daniel Pogorzelski said the town needs to have a skilled person at each development site to ensure the roadwork is done thoroughly. Otherwise, he said, the roads may give out sooner than they should.

The ultimate decision will rest with the voters, Crouse said. He suggested that the town put together some options and bring them before Town Meeting.

“Let the people decide,’’ he said.