China road committee looks at preliminary list of road repaving

by Mary Grow

China Road Committee members met Jan. 6 to make a preliminary list of roads to be repaved during the 2023 work season and to consider other road-related recommendations.

The focus of this year’s paving is the southeastern part of town. Roads recommended by the end of the meeting include Pond Road (the section of old Route 202 that begins just north of Fire Road 50 and lies across the main road from the former China Dine-ah); Water Street in Branch Mills Village; a section on top of Parmenter Hill, known locally as Moe’s Mountain; and the section of Pleasant View Ridge Road not done recently.

Director of Public Services Shawn Reed said the roads that had been repaved with the method called chip seal (a mix of asphalt and stone chips) seem to be holding up well. Although chip seal leaves small loose rocks about which motorists and residents complain for the first few weeks, it costs enough less so he recommended expanding its use.

Reed did not yet have preliminary price estimates for 2023 paving materials.

Another major topic for committee members was an approximately half-mile section of Hanson Road near Evans Pond. Reed said it should be raised two or three feet and have larger culverts installed to prevent more flooding.

Hanson Road runs north from Route 3, along the east side of Evans Pond, to the intersection with Bog Brook Road. Bog Brook Road runs east to Pleasant View Ridge Road.

Committee members made no recommendation on rebuilding the stretch; they agreed the project would be expensive. When they do a road tour later in the year, they plan to include the south end of Hanson Road, between the Cross Road and Route 3, which Reed said is not in bad shape.

The next road committee meeting is tentatively scheduled for the first or second Friday morning in February.