Residents press Holyoke committee to fix deteriorated Old Bassett Road; city to convene state, conservation and DPW

Resident Betsy Shurer Sullivan told the Holyoke City Council Public Safety Committee on Oct. 28 that she and her family bought a home they expected would be served by a paved road and later learned Old Bassett Road is not an accepted city way.

"We bought the house in 2021 '2 2022," Sullivan said, adding she had "no reason to believe that it was not a city road" because the street has lights, a sign, is plowed and receives trash service.

Sullivan read a letter from the fire chief, which said in part: "In accordance with Counselor Devine and Counselor McGrath Smith's order, we went to Old Bassett Road and assessed its status in relation to fire department operations. The road is in very poor condition ... We would be unable to bring a ladder truck up the street ... It would be advantageous for our firefighting operations if the road were both widened and repaved respectively." The resident said an ambulance crew had…