The Bath borough held a special bi-monthly meeting on January 9. A Borough Street and Opening Plan was distributed amongst borough members to “identify known streets and alleys that have been dedicated and/or opened by the borough in the past, and to begin discussing a method for dedicating and/or opening other roads, alleys, or streets previously laid out that have not been officially recognized to date.” The borough manager, Brad Flynn, mentioned that the borough has not had a road plan since 1856, when the borough was created.
“There are 31 streets ordained by the borough and an inventory of 63,” Flynn mentioned. The borough has run into issues with maintaining and improving certain streets and properties that have not been dedicated by borough Ordinance. This plan will require council to go through each street listed and decide whether that road remain open and whether the borough will continue to maintain it. Some roads that are currently maintained will no longer be. Contrary to belief, there is no Pennsylvania law that mandates the borough maintain certain roads-it is simply done as a favor.
Council started the meeting with analyzing a list of proposed ordained roads which consist of Bank Street, Barrall Avenue, Barber Street (east and west) Green Street, Horner Street, Kiem Steet, Mill Street, Mulberry Street, Oak Street (excluding private sections), Pearl Street, Poplar Street, Plymouth Street, Schaeffer Street, Slate Post Road, Union Street, Washington Street, West Street, and Wunderler’s Way.
Unopened roads were also analyzed. These roads consist of: Helfferick Street, McClure Street, Unnamed Alley #1, Bridge Street, Diamond Street, James Street, Oak Street, Shimoski Way, Locust Street, Pearl Street, Sleepy Hollow Road, Blair Avenue, Unnamed Alley #2, Unnamed Alley #3, Blair Street, Spring Street and Seigfried Street.
A motion was made that the public works committee proceed with a plan to develop a timeline for opening roads, closing roads, getting property owners involved, and going through outstanding questions that arise in the process. The policy position has been adopted.
“This will give us a foundation and a plan that not only we can follow but future generations can follow,” stated borough President Mark Saginario.
“This is not an easy decision for any of us. I don’t like change either,” Mayor Fiorella Mirabito stressed.
“They [the residents] need to stay informed and know why things are being done. Get informed,” she concluded.
