Couple asks Franklin to address private road
A Franklin Township couple has asked officials to address a deteriorating road.
Bob and Carol Robinson, who live on Bass Pike, approached supervisors last week to revisit the matter.
Bob Robinson said the couple came before Franklin officials about a year-and-a-half ago about the ownership and conditions of Bass Pike.
Robinson said they weren’t there to be adversarial, but rather to “solve a very, very deteriorating and bad situation.”
Robinson explained that it went from a 40-foot road down to 10 feet of ruts “and it’s just not an acceptable situation.”
“The township, I believe, has the responsibility to do the right thing,” Robinson said. “And all the neighbors, all we want is that road to be regraded and restoned.
“We’re not asking for a macadamed road with curbs and sidewalks and drainage system or anything else. Just put back the way it was intended to be.”
Robinson said the residents are all mostly senior citizens and can’t afford to put a road in.
Robinson also said the road is nowhere near acceptable standards for transportation.
“We would like to work with you to try to work this thing out,” he said. “And I need the township to step up to the plate and do what’s right for the residents and correct the wrong that occurred 50 years ago.”
Board Chairman Fred Kemmerer Jr. stressed the importance of getting things right the first time around.
“This is a glaring example of how things need to be done properly,” Kemmerer said. “It’s essentially a private driveway.”
Township solicitor Tom Nanovic said he agreed with Kemmerer in that they don’t believe it’s a township road, and it would ultimately be taking taxpayers money to fund it.
However, Robinson told Nanovic he strongly disagreed with him, and that it’s a road that was 40 feet, and has since been reduced to 10 feet.
But, Supervisor Jason Frey said the township’s hands are tied “if we don’t know who owns it.”
Resident Thomas Lawler asked if that street is safe in the event emergency responders would need to access it.
Robinson said he believes a big firetruck would have trouble, and added that those who live there are “all older people.”
Kemmerer said he would be willing to meet with the couple to further discuss the matter.