CARIBOU, Maine — Aroostook County Commissioners on Wednesday agreed to table a petitioned request to extend road maintenance on Town Line Road in Connor TWP by 0.75 miles. They did so after holding a public hearing during the same meeting. Officials made this decision due to too many unknown variables surrounding how the road would be reopened.
The winter road closure order in this area was first made on June 14, 2022. The order would close the entire road, which is 1.47 miles, for a period of 10 years during the months of November to April.
Seventeen people signed a petition to modify this closure order and open the road to regular winter maintenance for 0.75 miles beyond the point of closure. It was received by commissioners on July 29. Three signatures were deemed invalid because they were not registered voters and 14 were valid.
One resident said he would like to build a house on that portion of the road. Commissioners asked him if the house was completely built, and he said it’s not completed but it is built. A man sitting next to him confirmed this and added that the roof is on, the septic system is installed and the windows and doors are completed.
County Administrator Ryan Pelletier said that he brought this item to Caribou’s public works department.
“He told me he would go out and take a look at it, and that he would get back to me with what he felt the cost would be,” Pelletier said. “But he also told me very clearly that it would not be a decision that he would make. He would have to bring that to the City Council of Caribou.”
He said during the meeting that he has not heard back from the director yet.
Commissioner Chair Paul Underwood added that there also needs to be some discussion about the costs to bring that road up to normal standards.
“We have a lot of work to do on that road,” he said. “Ditching, culverts, more gravel and grading, which we just don’t have, and a turnaround at the end would have to be built.”
One of the residents said the Caribou Snowmobile Club had considered maintaining part of the road as a trail and plowing up to his driveway. He added that the club may also be able to help with some of the roadwork items that Underwood mentioned.
Pelletier said he had not heard from anyone about this, but that he would be happy to talk to someone about how this could work.
Commissioner William Dobbins said that he felt that, at this point, he could not make a decision due to there being too many unknown factors. His motion to table the item was approved. Pelletier told the resident that he would be in his office later this week and willing to talk to anyone from the club about the logistics of maintaining this road.
