Hi,

I understand that our community is growing quickly and that construction is necessary. New buildings, utilities, and other projects are part of that growth. But at the same time, our roads are becoming extremely difficult to drive on.

A perfect example is North Saddle River Road. For a long time, the road was very bumpy because of all the construction. It was finally repaved and became a smooth, beautiful road. Then a utility company needed to perform work and opened up a large section of the road. When the work was finished, the road was patched, but the patch was done so poorly that the road is once again extremely bumpy.

Anyone who drives on that stretch knows exactly what I mean. You can feel every bump in your car.

My question is: Why doesn’t the Town of Ramapo have stricter rules to make sure contractors properly restore roads after they open them?

Maybe the Town should require contractors to put money into an escrow account before opening a road? The amount could be based on what it would cost to properly restore the road. Once the work is completed, the Town could inspect it. If the road was properly restored, the contractor gets the money back. If it was left with bumps, holes, or a poor patch, the Town could use the escrow money to have it fixed properly.

We understand that construction is necessary, and nobody is asking the Town to stop development. But residents shouldn’t have to suffer with terrible roads because contractors are allowed to leave roads in poor condition.

We need the construction but we also need safe, smooth roads for the people who live here.

Sincerely,

Baruch W.