NORTHFIELD — Unusually warm winter temperatures may be well-received by residents, but it’s also spelled more work for the Highway Department.
During a Selectboard meeting Monday, Highway Department Superintendent Tom Walker said the fluctuating weather especially impacts dirt roads. There has been more water in the ground and flowing along roads due to the increased rain and melting snow, and once the water gets into potholes or cracks and then re-freezes, it causes more damage.
“It’s a huge issue everywhere,” Walker said. “There’s no simple solution for the rain we’ve had, and I hate it. I’d take a 2-foot snowstorm every day of the week over a rainstorm.”
According to Walker, the Highway Department has 15 dirt roads to maintain in Northfield, which equate to roughly 20 miles of road. The fact that some dirt roads haven’t frozen has proved to be a challenge, and poses a potential danger when plowing.
“Ninety percent of the plows that we use, if the guys are driving them and hit a soft spot, they’re going through the windshield,” Walker said.
If there is only going to be 1 inch or so of snow, he said it is best not to plow because it could cause more damage to dirt roads. Plowing a dirt road that isn’t frozen creates more potholes or ruts in the road. With the weather conditions, trying to fix any such holes would prove difficult, too. Walker said the Highway Department used a few hundred yards of dirt to repair some roads in town before winter.
“There’s no easy answer to it,” Walker said.
While paving the current dirt roads would make them “easy to maintain,” it would also be an expensive project. Walker estimated costs at $1 million per mile, not including any engineering fees. He noted that while some residents may be resistant to the idea of cutting back trees, allowing the sun to hit more surface area of the roads could help as the ice melts away significantly faster.
Walker said Monday that while the Highway Department’s snow budget is down to roughly $4,000, his staff should have enough materials and money to make it through the rest of the winter. He noted the department has been working with five employees this year, compared to last year’s six.
“Having that sixth truck on the road made a big difference,” he said.
According to Walker, another issue for maintaining roads is that in Northfield, “none of the roads are really bounded,” including part of South Mountain Road, part of Gulf Road and part of Winchester Road, among others. He proposed conducting an updated study of town-owned roads and potential projects.
“If you don’t have bounds, you don’t have guidance as to if a road is even in our easement,” Walker explained.
Anticipated projects for the Highway Department this summer include work on the South Mountain Road culvert. Walker said that while there is plenty more work to do, this is the summer’s “big project.”
Zack DeLuca can be reached at zdeluca@recorder.com or 413-930-4579.