An ad hoc committee seated last year by the Board of Selectmen to work on developing long-term strategic plans for maintaining and improving town roads presented its initial findings and recommendations to the Board of Selectmen January 19.

That panel was appointed following a commitment to bring a diminished capital roads budget back to its optimal $2 million annual funding amount. Committee Chair and Legislative Councilman Anthony Filiato appeared on behalf of his panel, first reviewing some historical data on the town’s road system.

During his presentation, Mr Filiato suggested that one of the greatest potential areas of savings, or at least reduced spending, would come from a comprehensive plan to surface all currently unpaved town roads that do not fall under Newtown’s Scenic Roads Ordinance.

Mr Filiato presented a document indicating that the town currently has 45 gravel or unpaved roads, 32 of which are private or located in private, primarily lakeside, communities in Sandy Hook. According to the committee chairman, Newtown is in fairly good shape when it comes to the quality of its roads, with about half meeting current standards for drainage, pavement surface quality, and right of way.

While that may not sound like a lot, Mr Filiato explained that due to various reasons, only 75 to 80 percent of local roads could ever be qualified as meeting current standards. A variety of factors including geography and building placement affects the town’s ability to make renovations or repairs to bring those roadways up to standard condition, he said.

But turning to the subject of cost, Mr Filiato made it clear, along with Public Works Director Fred Hurley, that it costs taxpayers three times as much to maintain an unpaved road as it would if those roads were surfaced and fixed with appropriate drainage.

Mr Hurley added that the “working life” of such a road renovation would be 20 years or more.

Mr Filiato said one of the biggest challenges in tackling the unpaved roads issue was the variety of owners represented, particularly for roads within associations or private communities. While some of these roads are abandoned, others continue to be maintained by owners or associations where those roads are located, or are partly owned by each resident residing along the roadway.

Mr Filiato said town ordinances permit local crews to plow and sand private roads that have three or more residences on them; to repair private roads at town expense, at the discretion of the first selectman; and to patch, clear culverts, and grade dirt roads. The town may also install paving, rebuild private roads, and do other improvements in cases where owners or a related association pays half the cost.

Among other recommendations from the committee are:

*Town policies regarding roads should be comprehensive, while giving some input to residents and businesses located on those roadways.

*Taking control of all roads currently classified as “abandoned” in all situations where it would benefit the town and neighboring residents or businesses.

*Work toward improving town roads with a goal of eventually having all applicable town roads — roughly 80 percent of them — meeting currently accepted standards.

*Update and codify suggested changes to local policies regarding private roads, which has not been done since 1976.

*Engage all private road owners and associations toward that end.

Concluding his presentation, Mr Filiato suggested the committee continue to work further refining and supporting its recommendations.

First Selectman Pat Llodra said it would be a good idea for the committee to develop a series of “next steps” so her board could go to work making decisions on the committee’s recommendations.