A daily issue affecting Northbridge drivers is damage to cars due to poorly maintained roads. This issue needs to be addressed now. It is winter and roads that weren’t repaired in the fall are causing numerous potholes. In addition to potholes, the underfunded Department of Public Works doesn’t have adequate supply of salt and sand to treat the roads and sidewalks. This is causing frequent accidents.
Northbridge has a small town budget, so deciding what to fund becomes a battle between peoples’ desires and needs. Some want to build a new police station and they don’t see the road conditions as a big concern. Leaving the town’s DPW with a limited budget is a mistake. I would say to them that the safety of the town residents is more important than building a new police station because of the worsening state of the roads.
As a resident of Northbridge, I see the roads become worse throughout the year. Recently, I popped a tire due to a large pothole in town. This pushed me to bring this issue to light. I am also concerned with the icy road and sidewalk conditions, especially in the morning before school. This is not only dangerous for drivers, but also for kids walking to school. To solve the issue, the residents of Northbridge should vote to increase the budget of the DPW at the next Town Meeting. Not doing this will cause more accidents due to untreated roads and sidewalks.