Holyoke committee asks mayor to fund overlay and start acceptance process for Old Bassett Road

The Public Safety Committee voted Nov. 25 to ask the mayor to provide funding both to pave Old Bassett Road with a 2‑inch overlay and to begin the land survey and title work necessary to pursue state acceptance as a public way.

Councilor Meg McGrath Smith said Old Bassett Road — discontinued as a county road in 1858 — now functions poorly for the two households at its end and presents an access problem for emergency vehicles. Victoria, a city engineer, told the committee the discontinued county action left ownership to abutting property owners (each owning to the centerline), and that modern acceptance would require a 50‑foot right‑of‑way compared with the old 35‑foot width. "The minimum right of way width would be 50 feet," Victoria said, noting that accepting the road would likely require deed changes, appraisals or donations of land from abutters.

Victoria explained options: if the city wants to pave the way without accepting it as a public road, it may do so with temporary rights from all abutters and municipal funds, but such projects are ineligible for Chapter 90 funding. Acceptance as a public way would open Chapter 90 eligibility later but requires survey, title work, possible compensation, and more time and expense.

DPW Director Mike Gallagher cautioned that the true cost of bringing the road to public‑way standards could far exceed early estimates. An initial 2‑inch overlay estimate (~$18,500) would provide a short‑term fix, while full reconstruction and widening would be much costlier and involve drainage and grading work, he said. City Solicitor Mike Bissonnette described the legal complexity and urged fiscal caution, noting it would be hard to justify spending a half‑million dollars for a handful of properties.

Resident testimony underscored the urgency: Betsy of 85 Jarvis Ave. described repeated vehicle damage and cited an instance when an ambulance had trouble reaching the house. State Representative Pat Duffy recommended pursuing short‑term municipal paving while starting the formal MassDOT inventory/acceptance application, adding that MassDOT could provide guidance but needs documentation that the city and planning board have reviewed and voted on the proposal.

The committee’s motion asked the mayor to fund a 2‑inch overlay and to begin the state‑acceptance process (including survey, title and design work). The motion passed on a committee roll call and will be placed on the City Council agenda for Dec. 2. DPW said crews could do temporary patching before winter but that full paving would likely have to wait for budget allocation.