HUBBARDSTON — Selectmen and Department of Public Works Director Travis Brown presented their five-year plan for road maintenance and repairs on Monday, March 18.
The plan outlines what roads, and in what order, the maintenance will go through fiscal 2024. Each year has about three or four major projects earmarked for it, as well as an extra plan in case the town gets additional grant, state or federal funding. Residents showed up for the Board of Selectmen meeting, filling the Slade building as well as an overflow room in the Senior Center, to hear the plan, advocating for their own roads.
“Last year we did a two-year plan,” Town Administrator Ryan McLane said. “We wanted to go out five years so people can get an idea of what is coming. ... It is important to note that by clustering projects we saved money for the best use of funds, so some roads are being done because they fit that financial puzzle.”
For this year, the town is finishing the total reclamation and repair on New Westminster Road and Prentiss Hill Road, while looking at Morgan, Underwood and High Bridge roads.
“These roads would see serious repair, these are some of our worst roads,” McLane said.
Proposed for 2021 is work on Flagg Road, Hale Road and Hale Road Extension.
For 2022 would be Elm Street and Brigham Street, as well as crack sealing. If the town receives grants or other additional funds, it would look to add Barre Road and Barre Road cutoff, as well as Parsons Road.
Fiscal 2023 would see continued work on Williamsville Road as well as Kruse Road, work on another part of New Westminster Road and Simonds Hill Road. Extra funds would add Evergreen Road and Ed Clark Road.
Finally, 2024 would have work on Pitcherville Road, Ragged Hill Road, Cross Road and Healdville Road.
The plan presented is not final, meaning that selectmen are looking for resident input to help adjust plans. For the most part, people were happy with the roads presented, though residents did advocate for the addition of Dogwood Road, which was excluded from the plan.
“There is a good amount of families on that road, too,” Selectman Michael Stauder said.
Resident Sandra Barre mentioned a previous 10-year plan to pave all of the roads, and advocated for paving more of the dirt roads as well.
