To the Editor:

As I drive Newtown's cratered, bone-shaking roads - slowly, for fear of breaking an axle - I ponder many things. I add up the thousands of dollars I've spent on avoidable car repairs over the years (replacing tie rods, front end re-alignment, punctured fuel tank, blown tires). I wonder why a prosperous town in one of the richest counties, in one of the richest states, in the richest nation in the world has streets that are the equivalent of a third world country. (Although to be fair, many third world countries have roads that are far superior to Newtown's.) I smile at the irony that I actually pay property taxes on my car, a necessity of life that becomes less valuable with each mile I drive, and which I place at risk every time I drive it through the town that collects these taxes - and which is responsible for maintaining the roads I use. And I ask: how did it come to this?

Newtown residents were recently asked to vote on whether we should spend money to fix our abysmal roads (I voted in favor, but 1.5 million dollars seems like a band-aid, considering Newtown's 275+ miles of paved roads.) That strikes me as the equivalent of asking citizens whether they'd like to have a police department, or would like to send their children to school. An essential element of civilization (Rome became an empire because it built roads) is now an optional extra.

We know there's no help coming from the our bankrupt state government, nor from the federal government, despite campaign promises of infrastructure investment. So Newtown is on its own.

Here's a possible solution. Create a town Transportation Trust Fund.

Require any new residential development, whether it's five McMansions on a cul-de-sac or a high density apartment complex, pay to repave .5 miles of town roads for every new resident their development generates. A 100-unit complex that houses an average of three people per unit would have to pay to restore 150 miles of roads in order to reap their big payday. These developments (and those who sell their land to the highest bidder without regard for the impact they have on their neighbors or future generations) generate big profits for those who ram them through, and the rest of us pay the price in more traffic congestion, higher school taxes, heavier demand on police and (volunteer) firefighters, and of course, increased wear and tear on roads. I would suggest, as well, that any new development that builds additional roads that are not privately maintained should have to pay into the fund in advance for 20 years of maintenance on any new roads (which would include snow plowing and sweeping) that become the town's responsibility.

Perhaps such a policy would discourage the rampant and irresponsible development spree that's blighting our town, and save the rest of us a few hundred dollars a year in vehicle repairs.

Respectfully submitted,

Amber Edwards

Parmalee Hill Road, Newtown         May 7, 2018