Evesham Township manager Tom Czerniecki said the improvements finish off what the township considers its worst roads.
Evesham Township Council approved its latest round of road improvements at a special council meeting this week.
Officials say the township is set to pave and improve areas including Bon Air Drive, Sutten Court, Peabody Lane, Sedgwick Lane, Shelbourne Drive, Windsor Lane, Wellington Drive, Wessex Place, Waldorf Road, Knox Boulevard and a one-mile stretch of Kettle Run Road.
In speaking to the condition of the roads, Czerniecki said residents might be familiar with the township’s “Road Condition” map on the township website that lists and assigns a color ranking to all roads in the township based on the road’s need of repair.
With red for “very poor,” yellow for “poor,” blue for “fair,” green for “good,” and purple for “very good,” Czerniecki said in recent years the township had improved most of the remaining red roads.
“We’ve nearly eliminated all the red roads, all the horrible, horrible ones, so with this (round of improvements) we’ll more or less finish those off,” Czerniecki said.
Once the township improves these latest roads, Czerniecki said he hopes the township can focus on the next level of roads in need of repair.
“We’re working our way through the worst of the worst, so now we’re trying to solidify the neighborhoods,” Czerniecki said. “It’s also gratifying that we improve curbs and sidewalks as we do roads because those are qualify-of-life issues and sends a signal that our neighborhoods are cared for.”
Czerniecki also highlighted the township’s planned improvements to the one-mile stretch of Kettle Run Road.
According to Czerniecki, three or four residents at past council meetings have independently noted the poor condition of the road and requested the township consider it for repair.
With these latest improvements, the township plans to start near Tomlinson Mill Road and Jennings Lake where the road’s latest improvements end and work its way toward Braddock Mill Road.
In response to those who question how the township selects roads for improvement, Czerniecki noted several factors.
With roads deteriorating at different rates depending on new traffic patterns, increased accident rates, sun and shade exposure or even levels of salt dropped to deal with large accumulations of snow and ice, Czerniecki said the township’s road improvement plans can change every year.
However, Czerniecki said the township also factors in the number of requests from residents seeking improvements to a specific road or area.
In addition to speaking at council meetings, Czerniecki said residents are always encouraged to bring concerns to the township through its website with the “Ask Evesham” municipal reporting system.
“Something we check every day is the ‘Ask Evesham’ application on our website, and that’s actually the best because we continue to track those requests as they come in and follow up on them, Czerniecki said.
