Ardmore Estates residents want fix-ups on local roads
BY TOYNETT HALL Staff Writer

HOWELL - Residents of the Ardmore Estates housing development off Route 524 are waiting to find out where their neighborhood ranks on a list of roads targeted for improvements.

Residents of the 30-year-old development told Township Council members at a meeting in August that their neighborhood of 120 homes is a patchwork of broken blacktop and unavoidable potholes.

The residents said the development needs a make-over and expressed their feeling that Ardmore Estates is a forgotten neighborhood.

Dr. Deborah Pennell, a 15-year resident, said, "We care about what our neighborhood looks like. Our homes are well maintained and people take care of their properties. The streets are in pitiful conditions. In some areas there are potholes filled with water. I have spoken to residents who say these roads have not been paved for nearly 30 years."

During a subsequent telephone interview, Pennell said, "Our road conditions are horrific. There are no curbs, sidewalks, our children play in the streets, and potholes are filled with water that creates breeding grounds for mosquitoes."

Pennell gave the council a petition signed by 100 of her neighbors. The petition asks for improvements to be made. She said she is hopeful conditions will approve.

Mary Ann Burke shares Pennell's sentiments. She has lived in the development for 30 years. Burke said the streets in the neighborhood are not primary roads in Howell and said she understands why they have been neglected.

However, Burke said, the roads need to be kept up to match all of the renovated homes within her community. She compared the situation to throwing an upscale party on a dirty carpet.

Council members listened to the residents and said the matter will be addressed.

Interim Township Manager Helene Schlegel said, "We do have a Pavement Management System (PMS) report that is 150 pages. We will take a good hard look at how your roads are rated in comparison to the other township roads and come up with some kind of viable plan that we will be able to at least communicate to you so that you will have some kind of time frame."

Mayor Joseph DiBella concurred and told residents there are many roads in Howell that need to be repaired.

"There have been issues about paving going back for many years. Despite how many roads we have paved, we spend about $1 million a year. And for that because of fuel and labor expenses we get about 13 miles of road (paved). There are more than 300 miles of road to maintain in the community," DiBella said.

Township Engineer William Nunziato said the Ardmore Estates residents would receive correspondence in about a month informing them where their roads rank in the PMS report and when corrective action may be taken.