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Plowing impossible on some roads in Brookfield

BROOKFIELD — Because of damage to road department equipment on what are classified as “unaccepted dedicated” dirt roads, the township may no longer plow them.

Road superintendent Jamie Fredenburg told residents and township officials Monday that 22 roads and parts of other roadways in the township fit the classification of “unaccepted dedicated,” including 300 feet of Gloria Avenue, which has no homes on it but connects to other roads, and 800 feet of Brightview Avenue, which has two homes.

He said while they do plow such roads when three or more inches of snow has fallen, they are concerned of the damage being done to the road department equipment because most of the unaccepted roads are dirt surfaces and in poor shape.

“When the condition of the roads get so bad it is causing damage to the equipment, we would stop plowing and those two roads have reached that point. We can’t risk having the equipment damaged when we have many other paved roads in the township road system that are required to be done,” he said.

The unaccepted roads are done last, he said.

Fredenburg said unaccepted roads have not been officially dedicated by a county or township for public use and have not been brought up to a certain standard, such as being 24 feet wide, paved and with ditches. Such roads have to be accepted by the county commissioners to be classified as dedicated.

“These roads have been dedicated for public use but never officially accepted for township paving. The commissioners have never accepted these roads into the township road system making them technically not our roads,” Fredenburg said.

Fredenburg said police and fire will use the roads for emergencies.

Trustee Ron Haun said trustees will contact by letter residents who live on such roads to see if they would be willing to help cover costs for getting the roads plowed, or paved and fixed.

“We will contact them and see what they are willing to do,” he said.

“These roads create a dilemma because they are not up to state or county standards and are not part of the county road system. We have wanted to help with these roads but we want to make sure our equipment does not get damaged,” said Trustee Gary Lees.

Resident Ray Haun of Francis Street said if there is a fire or an emergency at one of the homes, the departments will be there no matter how much snow hampers access.

“We are talking emergency situations on these roads where someone may need help, they need to have them plowed. I’m not talking about someone who needs to be at work at 6 and can’t get out because there is two inches of snow,” he said.

Also, Fredenburg said residents are not to plow snow into the roadway, which is illegal. Instead, snow should be placed at lower sides of the driveways. Plowing ends up placing snow back in driveways, he said.

He said recent snow has been wet and there have been mailboxes knocked over. He said the township does replace boxes with a standard box. Fredenburg said those with fancy-style and shaped mailboxes should not expect the replacement to be more than a general standard-size mailbox, which road crews will install.

Some residents, he said, have wanted the same style of mailbox they had, which isn’t possible.

He said the four road crew workers are out this week patching potholes before it gets cold again with motorists advised to be careful since the cold weather has caused many potholes to surface.

bcoupland@tribtoday.com

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