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Residents urge against converting Wildwood Avenue; committee holds petition to July
Summary
Worcester residents told the Public Works Subcommittee converting the private portion of Wildwood Avenue to a public street would impose unaffordable assessments, citing a May estimate of roughly $3.7 million (now likely above $4 million). The committee postponed action until July and requested DPW responses to four petition questions.
The Worcester City Public Works Subcommittee on Wednesday heard extended public testimony opposing a petition to accept the private portion of Wildwood Avenue as a public street and voted to hold the item until its July meeting.
Resident Karen Solomon, who said she has lived on Wildwood Avenue for 25 years, told the committee the city’s May estimate to make the road public was about $3.7 million and — because the estimate was valid for six months and construction costs have risen roughly 10% — the cost now exceeds $4 million. "This would impose a 30 to 50% penalty on elderly homeowners who have already paid off their houses," Solomon said, urging the city to use temporary-repair authority under Chapter 302 of the Acts of 1984 rather than require betterment assessments.
The clerk reported that 107 nonbinding ballots were mailed for the petition; 10 were returned in favor and 27 opposed. Multiple callers and in‑person residents said many senior homeowners may not have understood the ballot options, including the ability to defer assessment until sale for eligible seniors. A caller urged the city to include clearer instructions and the city pamphlet on private ways with future ballots.
Residents described recurring maintenance problems at a culvert and sinkhole on the roadway and said city trucks and school buses have used the stretch, contributing to deterioration. One resident said annual neighborhood donations totaled only about $6,000 this year. Several residents suggested alternatives such as temporary municipal repairs or matching funds rather than full public acceptance that shifts the cost to homeowners.
Committee chair Tony Economu stated the item would be held to the July meeting so DPW can provide the requested answers to four petition questions — signature requirements, whether public use makes the way eligible for city maintenance, whether prior development altered legal status, and alternatives for owners who oppose public acceptance. The chair said residents may submit testimony for the record now or appear in July. The roll call to hold the item recorded affirmative votes from Councilors Satcha Mitra, John Fzolo and Chair Economu.
Next steps: the subcommittee expects DPW to supply the four petition responses and any updated cost estimates before the July meeting; the clerk said no new ballots will be mailed but outstanding mailed ballots may still be submitted and included in the record.
