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Resident warns of repeated rollovers at Redwood and Chestnut; council approves dust-control treatment
Summary
A Brandon resident recounted multiple vehicle rollovers into a ditch near Redwood and Chestnut and urged paving to protect children; the council approved a full dust-control/binder treatment after township staff requested funding, despite budget concerns and unclear long-term responsibility for the road.
A Brandon resident urged the City Council to prioritize safety on the gravel stretch at Redwood and Chestnut, describing repeated vehicle rollovers and pressing the council for action. The council voted to approve a full dust-control/binder treatment after hearing township staff request the work.
Resident Bonamela said they live at 617 North Chestnut Boulevard and described a string of crashes: “we've had four cars go off the road, rolled over into our ditch. So, four in two years.” Bonamela told the council their family includes a child with autism who will walk to the nearby elementary school and said, “I don't want him getting hit by a car.” They said the family moved to Brandon recently and called for the road to be paved or otherwise made safer.
Tom Brown, a township supervisor, asked the council to repeat the dust-control treatment used last year and described it as both dust suppression and a binder that helps hold the road together. He said the treatment requires roughly 3,800 gallons for a full application and about 1,900 gallons for a half treatment, and that the price rose about 17 cents per gallon compared with last year, adding roughly $552 to the full-treatment cost.
Council members discussed where financial responsibility should lie: the city does not own the road, the township has limited funds and other entities (county or state programs) are potential partners. Council members noted a traffic-count review by LTAP that “range[d] from 500 to 700 cars a day,” raising concerns about wear and safety on a gravel roadway not designed for that volume.
A council member moved to approve the full dust-control treatment (with a half treatment to be applied later if needed); another seconded. After discussion noting the city’s budgeted amount for the line item (referenced in discussion as $8,500) and the broader fiscal constraints, the council approved the motion by voice vote.
Council and township representatives agreed to set a smaller working meeting in the next week or two with township members and staff (not open to the public) to discuss longer-term options, funding sources and next steps toward potential paving.
The action approved at the meeting was funding for the immediate dust-control/binder application; no formal decision on paving, annexation or long-term funding was recorded.
