Capital improvement plans for Southern Shores streets have been a lightening rod for controversy and citizen anger. Citing a lack of transparency and a failure to notify residents in a timely manner about impending changes to roads, ad hoc citizens groups have been forming to oppose the town’s plans. This August newsletter from the Town includes information concerning upcoming roads projects. It does not include site plans for the projects.
“Since 2008, the Town of Southern Shores has been engaged in a capital improvement program to effect necessary major repairs and in some cases, complete rebuilds, of its public streets and bridges. Most public streets in Southern Shores were built over fifty years ago, and all were built by private developers. Street conditions in Southern Shores went unattended and many are now in need of major repair or complete rebuild. Most were not built to current industry construction and safety standards. When all the streets were first built by private developers, trees were either left close to the street edge in the existing street right-of-ways, or have since matured in place over the years. Emerging mature roots have undermined the shallow base and thin asphalt of your streets. More importantly, mature trees along the near-edge of an asphalt street pose a danger to public safety.”
[box type=”bio”] For more details, read the rest of the Town of Southern Shores’ newsletter HERE.[/box]