Access Road From Rockwood Road Could Make Town-Owned Land Buildable

Building a new access road from Rockwood Road to the Freeman-Centennial School campus on Boardman Street could make some town-owned land in that area buildable, town officials said this week.

That might sweeten the pot for building the access road, which has been talked about for several years.

The Norfolk School Building Committee discussed the access road during pre-election meetings but came to no conclusion about it. A preliminary estimate puts the cost at $500,000. It would not qualify for the state reimbursement the town expects to get, which is covering a little less than half of the actual construction cost of the new $36.9 million elementary school that voters approved in a special town election December 8.

Norfolk officials have eyed sales of town-owned land as a means of bringing in money to the cash-strapped town’s coffers.

Norfolk Superintendent Don LeClerc told the Norfolk School Committee this past Wednesday night that he understands from town officials that the access road could result in “six or eight if not more buildable lots that they can sell off.”

Town officials several years ago floated the idea of an access road to improve traffic flow to and from the school grounds.

But the access road is a touchy subject for residents who live on Ware Drive, Geneva Street, and Malcolm Street, which are all currently quiet dead-end streets. If they were connected to the access road they’d suddenly be a lot less quiet.

Residents also balked when town officials last year briefly considered moving an existing ranch house that was donated to the town for below-market-rate housing to town-owned land in that area, saying that more home construction would worsen flooding.

Town Administrator Jack Hathaway, asked about the access road late this week, confirmed that it’s back on the front burner.

“We are revisiting the access road, and are looking at some options there. In the past, we have looked at putting the public safety building there. That is not under consideration now. There may be some opportunity for some housing lots to generate some revenue for the town,” Hathaway said in an interview.

Selectman Jim Lehan, board chairman, contacted by email, also confirmed that the access road is under consideration.

“This road has been discussed for years as it has been a desire of our public safety team to have an alternative access to the school complex. We have not met with the school building committee to discuss this but it has been a topic in their meetings. It is an issue that merits some discussion. Clearly if this were to be considered, the timing should coincide with the construction of the new school,” Lehan wrote.