Residents and selectmen raise safety concerns over Oak Hill paving plans

At a selectboard meeting the town heard detailed public concerns about the safety of recent road work and planned paving on Oak Hill and nearby One Sale/Ones Hill Road. A resident who inspected multiple stretches presented photographs and urged the board to commission an independent engineer to assess ditch slopes, shoulder conditions and potential winter erosion before the town proceeds to final paving.

"This is not a safely constructed Road," the resident said, summarizing the core safety concern and pointing to vertical ditch slopes, undercut walls and places where the edge drops two to three feet in a single maneuver. Board members and the road commissioner acknowledged the design issues and said finish grading and additional ditching are scheduled, but several members said engineering clarification was warranted to reduce liability risks.

The complaint outlined multiple specific problems: one-to-one side slopes that make planting and erosion control impossible; undercutting beneath stone walls; driveways that exceed recommended slopes; and locations where the pavement edge drops sharply into soft, unbenchmarked fill. The board discussed bidding and past engineering reviews and agreed to take next steps to verify whether the current design meets safety standards before the paving contract is finalized.