Letters

Westbrook roads need repair

I recently emailed our city engineer and public services director, Eric Dudley, about the poor condition of Duck Pond Road and got a response back that was shocking. It appears that our street and roads are in bad shape and every year they deteriorate more because of lack of adequate funds in the budget. Just putting a temporary fix on many will cost us more in the future,

The following are a few listed that need repairs and those that live there will find this article no surprise: Jensen Lane, Breton Street, Mill Lane, Pennell Street, Bernadette Street, Arlington Avenue, Hardy Road, Methodist Road, Mayfield Drive, Duck Pond Road, Saunders Way, Turner Street, Running Brook Road, Longfellow Drive, Anne Terrace, Liza Harmon Drive, County Road, Pike Street, Dodge Street, Mitchell Street, Chestnut Street, Kennard Street, Marilyn Avenue, Carlson Street, Woodland Road, Glenwood Avenue, Deerhill Avenue and Fairlawn Avenue.

It is estimated we have to invest $1 million in paving funds a year to attempt to maintain what we have.

We have state-funded areas where there is minimal in paving funds to attempt to maintain what we have. They are Route 302, East Bridge Street, Bridge Street, Cumberland Street, Eisenhower Drive, Westbrook Arterial, New Gorham Road, Spring Street, Saco Street, County Road, William Clark Drive, Warren Avenue, Harnois Avenue, Forest Street, Main Street, Stroudwater Street, and Larrabee Road. These streets qualify for federal transportation dollars and apparently funding is an issue even at the state level as well.

Here is an eye-opener at what costs can amount to. Example: Duck Pond Road. Ditching costs $55,000, culverts $20,000, pavement reclamation $80,000, resurfacing $525,000 and finally shoulder repair $40,000. Add this all up and this is just one bad road in need of immediate repair. This road is an emergency bypass when there is trouble on 302.

The above should be an eye-opener to all taxpayers in our city and the longer we delay, the more the costs go up.

In November, or this spring, the School Department will be asking for money that could be $5 million for upgrades to Saccarappa and Westbrook Middle School.

We as voters have a choice to make about the priority of our tax dollars.

So, in conclusion, we have just about all our roads and streets that need some degree of repair or upgrade now.

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