Untended development roads are becoming a concern throughout North Hanover Township, and the Township Committee is determined to resolve the problem.
by David Kilby, Special Writer
NORTH HANOVER — Untended development roads are becoming a concern throughout North Hanover Township, and the Township Committee is determined to resolve the problem.
At the Township Committee meeting Dec. 5, committee members and residents made the issue a priority.
Committeeman Lou Delorenzo said many development roads are “terrible,” and that it’s the township’s responsibility to repair them.
He said the project would require a significant bond and getting the township engineer to assess the roads would not be free.
”We understand the roads are in need of attention,” added Committeeman Mike Moscatielli, who also serves as Public Works commissioner, “And (we) know it’s going to take a large investment.”
He asked to schedule a meeting with Justin Gibson, township engineer, to get an assessment of the damage and a time frame for when repairs could be completed.
He said he would like the development roads to be at “the highest possible standards.”
”These are not roads of high traffic or heavy freight,” he said, explaining they shouldn’t be extremely difficult to repair and maintain.
Mr. Gibson, who attended the meeting, agreed to sit down with members of the Township Committee and provide a step-by-step plan for addressing and resolving the issue.
Committeewoman Deb Butler said that the disrepair of development roads is the “number one thing I hear from residents.”
Mayor Jim Durr said due to many other problems the township has had in recent years, such as major storms and impacts of the recession, development roads “in level of priority have always been second.”
”We are now at a point that we can address the roads,” the mayor added. “I think it’s another problem we can take off the books.”
One of the roads mentioned in need of repair was Curtis-Liam Court in the uncompleted Deer Downs development. Township officials noted that the unnamed developer has gone bankrupt.