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Jefferson, Whitefield officials agree to pursue fixes for damaged Airport Road
Summary
At the Aug. 27 Select Board meeting, Whitefield and Jefferson officials discussed repeated vehicle-damaging potholes on Airport Road and agreed Jefferson will explore temporary and permanent weight limits and apply for grants to fund repairs; Whitefield will post its side in spring if Jefferson acts.
Jefferson and neighboring Whitefield officials agreed to take steps to address a large hole and repeated vehicle damage on Airport Road after a discussion at the Select Board meeting on Aug. 27, 2024.
Shawn White, a Whitefield selectman, traced the maintenance history and said Whitefield previously maintained the entire road but responsibility has shifted back to Jefferson. Selectman Norman Brown told the board a prior cost-sharing arrangement allocated 60% of repairs to Whitefield and 40% to Jefferson.
"Whitefield was maintaining the whole road but now has gone back to Jefferson to maintain," Shawn White said, noting trucks still use the route and that Whitefield is working with Google Maps to correct a shortcut designation. He added that Whitefield would be willing to post its side of the road by the power plant in the spring if Jefferson takes steps on its side.
The board discussed three main options: applying for a Fish and Wildlife grant to pay for access-road repairs, posting a temporary or year-round weight limit on the Jefferson side, or reverting the damaged portion to gravel. Norman Brown said he would contact David Govatski about the Fish and Wildlife grant cycle and availability.
"If Jefferson can post a weight limit year around," White said, "we would agree to post the Whitefield side by the power plant in the spring." He cautioned that posting a permanent weight limit on the Jefferson side would require a special town meeting.
Todd Ferland, Whitefield’s road agent, opposed returning the paved road to gravel, saying the town should not "go backwards" from paving to gravel. Highway Foreman Mike Kenison emphasized the urgency: "Something needed to be done before winter."
The board concluded Jefferson will investigate posting a temporary weight restriction immediately and pursue a permanent posting if the legal and procedural requirements (including a possible special town meeting) are met. Norman Brown will follow up on grant opportunities, and Whitefield requested that all plans and correspondence be shared with its officials.
Next steps noted by the board: Jefferson staff will research statutory and procedural requirements for posting weight limits, Norman Brown will contact the Fish and Wildlife grant contact, and the Select Board will keep Whitefield informed of any planned restrictions or repair timelines.
