A group of Cedarville Road residents attended the Blairstown Township Committee (BTC) meeting on February 22nd to bring attention to the dilapidated condition of their street.
Resident Joanne Heslin said to the committee, “When I first moved here 30 years ago, they oiled, and they put down gravel. It’s only a mile long. But over the last 15 years, nothing’s been done. So, I’m hoping we can put together something that you can help us in the way of paving or any kind of plan that you might have.”
Deputy Mayor Walter Orcutt said he was aware of the situation and had visited the road along with the head of Blairstown’s Department of Public Works, Eric Usinowicz, to assess the damage.
Instead of waiting to oil and chip the road next year, the original plan for Cedarville Road, Orcutt announced that the road will be paved. Starting at the end that connects from Mohican Road there will be a two-inch overlay that will extend more than halfway along the street.
At the point where Lake Genevieve typically floods the area the road will be leveled up and crowned— this should prevent that water from laying in the road. Then two layers of oil and chip will be laid from there all the way up to Millbrook Road.
According to Orcutt it will cost $100,000 to fix the road.
“It’s about one-sixth of our road budget this year. one-fifth and one-sixth of the road budget, but it’s something that needs to be done. And we clearly recognize that.”
Patching of the road will begin in early spring.
Orcutt continued, “In the last two years, we’ve spent a lot of money on roads, and I’m very happy with that. So, we’re gonna catch it, we’re gonna get it and it’s going to be fine, everybody will be happy.”
This is not the first time residents from this mile-long stretch have come before the township committee. Last year the BTC lowered the speed limit on Cedarville Road and posted “No Truck” signs after reports of Dollar General delivery trucks were frequently traveling the road at high speeds.
Alex Tironi, Contributing Writer
A recent graduate of George Mason University in Virginia, Alex pursued a degree in journalism with a double minor in American Sign Language and nonprofit studies. She worked as assistant news editor to the Fourth Estate, the university newspaper where she reported on many things but mostly focused on campus crime and PD activity. While working for a nonprofit called the Borgen Project, she wrote about global health and poverty in third-world nations. Alex recently finished an internship writing and editing for a business consulting company in NY. Growing up in the area, she has always been active in her community and brings the same intention as a contributing writer for the Ridge View Echo.
