Settlers Walk residents press Franklin Park council over delayed repaving; borough outlines limited annual mileage

Residents of the Settlers Walk subdivision pressed Franklin Park Borough Council on Feb. 19, 2025, to put unfinished streets back on the borough’s repaving schedule, saying failing pavement is a safety concern and warning preventive maintenance delays will increase future costs.

Keith Allen, treasurer of the Settlers Walk Homeowners Association, told the council his neighborhood of about 252 houses was supposed to be repaved every 15 years after developer turnover and that “we’re really concerned that…when the weather warms up, basically, the streets are gonna start falling apart.”

Why it matters: Settlers Walk residents said many streets were built about 17–22 years ago and have seen only patchwork repairs since. Residents argued that allowing streets to degrade further will increase eventual repair costs and risk safety for pedestrians, children and joggers who use neighborhood roads.

Council members heard similar remarks from other Settlers Walk representatives. Terry Fultz said, “we’re just hoping that you take a look at that and see if you can get us on the schedule to get those remaining streets repaved.” Venu Praliri, a Settlers Walk board member, reported residents have circulated a petition and been in touch with borough staff. Pradeep Indrakanti, also a board member, said upkeep is “a major issue for us” and community members are willing to work with the borough on a plan.

Borough staff outlined how streets are selected. A staff member identified in the meeting as Gary said the borough inspects roads in the fall and again in spring, and that the list of streets in the annual budget can change after winter damage. “We look at them each road to assess the value of it,” Gary said. He told council that in prior years the borough repaved about 4 to 4.5 miles annually but the 2025 budget currently funds roughly 2.8 miles; the borough oversees “probably somewhere around 70, 72 miles” of roads.

Council and staff responses also referenced longer-term options. Mayor O’Keefe acknowledged residents’ concerns and said the borough is “looking at other options at the table,” including a potential change in municipal structure that could affect long-term planning. Council said it typically performs a field tour with staff to finalize which streets will be included in the year’s paving program.

What was not decided: Council did not adopt a new funding plan or change the 2025 paving budget at the meeting. Residents asked for a clearer multi-year plan and for the borough to prioritize remaining Settlers Walk streets, but no binding direction or ordinance was approved on Feb. 19.

Next steps: Residents said they will continue outreach, including petitions, and council said it will continue annual inspections and the council/ staff road tour to finalize paving selections for the year.