A few Town of Brookfield residents who travel Gorton Lake Road complained to the Town Board about the damage done to their cars because of the condition of the road.
At last week’s Board meeting at the North Brookfield Firehouse, board members heard how the gravel road has caused problems with vehicles. In October the town’s Highway Department tore up the pavement on the road to eliminate potholes; plans are to finish repairing the road this spring.
Highway Department Superintendent Paul Owens said the road will be paved at a cost of $180,000 and that should last 15 years. But residents said the couple of miles of the worst part of the road should never have been torn up last fall at all.
“The signs say the road has been under construction for seven months,’’ Ginny Davies said. “Nothing has been done since it was ripped up. Who is going to pay for the damage to our vehicles?’’
Town Supervisor John Salka said he did not see how the town had liability for people choosing to use the road. “How do you prove that it was done by the road?’’
Salka said of the town’s 90 miles of roads, Gorton Lake was “the worst road in the town. That’s why we’re spending money to fix it this spring.’’
Salka also questioned why residents were upset with him and the board members. “Talk to the highway superintendent who was elected to be in charge of the roads,’’ he said. “We went on his advice.’’
Owens was at the meeting but did not take part in the discussion on Gorton Lake Road during the public comment period.
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