NEWBURG, W.Va. – Eighteen families live down Chestnut Ridge Heights Road in Newburg. The road is supposed to be two lanes, but most of the time residents feel as if it’s one.
Most people living down this road have been there for 20 or more years. Residents said some areas of the road, especially the ditches along both sides, are so dangerous that one has to wait and pass cars on the wrong side of the road.
The damage along the entire road has reached a point where residents tried to take care of it themselves, but the upkeep of the road is too much for just residents to handle.
“They came up and just dumped some asphalt out, and spread it with the motor grader, out through here in about five or six different spots, and it helped a little bit,” said resident Dale Key.
Key has lived in West Virginia his whole life, and along this road for 20 years. He said the last time they saw proper work done to the road was almost eight years ago.
“I mean, it’s not that big of a deal to pull ditches, at least pull ditches and do some patching,” said Key. “I know it needs resurfaced, but if they just pull the ditches and patch it, it would be better than nothing.”
Residents in the neighborhood stated that they are aware of the difficult time society is facing right now, stating that these issues are minor in comparison. However, the reality for them is that on top of purchasing a car, the amount they have to pay in car damages sets them back twice as much. This is all a result of the poor conditions on the single road leading them to their homes.
“It’s not good, and I’m sure there are a thousand roads just like this around this area in West Virginia. Our infrastructure is just falling apart, even in the big towns,” Key explained.
The road stretches almost three miles long, and has damage the entire length of the road, and most of the population down Chestnut Ridge Heights Rd. is elderly, between 50-70.
