Westport Island board adopts temporary road-closing policy to let road commissioner post or close damaged roads

WESTPORT ISLAND, Maine — The Westport Island Select Board on Feb. 23 adopted a Temporary Road Closing Policy that gives the town’s road commissioner authority to post or close roads when they are at risk of damage.

The vote came during a brief meeting held amid a blizzard. The chair said the town attorney drafted the policy to provide a written basis for the road commissioner’s actions and to allow enforcement of weight limits against vehicles that damage town roads.

“...we need to have something in writing in order for that to have the force of law,” the chair said, explaining why the board moved to adopt the policy at this meeting rather than continuing to operate by practice.

April, who the chair asked to clarify the measure, described the policy’s scope: “for our road commissioner to post our roads or in the event that they’re getting very damaged, close them.” The board indicated the policy will provide a clearer authority for posting, closure and potential enforcement against violations of weight limits.

The board approved the policy during the meeting; on the record each member present voiced assent. The chair said the Select Board may later formalize the policy as an ordinance, but it will be effective as adopted to allow the road commissioner to act if conditions warrant.

The policy is intended to protect town roads during severe weather and heavy use; the chair cited recent need to post roads as motivation for formalizing the practice. The board did not discuss an implementation timetable or specific enforcement penalties at length during the meeting.

What’s next: The policy is effective as adopted at the meeting. The board indicated it may bring a formal ordinance before the town later to codify the approach.