MATTAPOISETT – The Mattapoisett Select Board approved Ocean Drive and Greenbough Drive as private roads and entered into an agreement with residents on those roads after residents raised concerns that the town was not maintaining the roads properly. 

Town Administrator Mike Lorenco said that the town had been maintaining the road for a long time, probably about 40 years. Recently, the highway department realized that the town was maintaining the road without an agreement to do so, and stopped because of liability issues. This upset many residents on the road, who did not understand the change. 

There were no residents from either road at the Select Board’s Dec. 28 meeting, but Lorenco said that they likely believed the road was a public way. 

The agreement between the town and residents of the two roads states that the residents will pay for materials to repair the roads, and the town will do the labor to grade the roads, usually once a year, but more often on request. 

Residents also agree that roads will be open to normal traffic from other Mattapoisett residents, even if owners post “no trespassing” signs or similar signs. The town will also plow the roads, since grading the roads every year helps assure that they are in good enough condition to be plowed. 

Lorenco said that there were other roads that would likely come before the board in a similar situation. Most of the residents on a road must come before the Select Board with an application before the road can be approved as a private road.