<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by
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I live in Alabama (Tuscaloosa County ) We just moved here and found out the road we live on is privately owned. No one wants to do any work on the road. It is dirt and many of the culverts are caved in . The neighbor drives his 18 wheeler in eventhough there is a no trucks allowed sign on the highway. It has come to our attention that the owner of the road wants to give up ownership . What are the reasons we would or wouldn't want to take this off his hands . As it is we can't do anything to improve the road because eventhough no one wants to put out money to help it has to be done their way or else.We are hoping to widen the road so as the county may take over ownership later on.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
More than likely the owner wants to sell because he does not want to spent the money to maintain it or fix it to the proper standards such that it can be dedicated to the county. Call up the county office and ask them to do some research on the road. What is needed to be completed in order for the county to accept ownership of the road. The cost may be huge because if the road is just a dirt road the county will require a new wider paved road. In addition there may be utility requirements such as gas, electric, cable and telephone. Double check with the county and fire department requirments on roadway width. Sometimes the fire department requires a roadway width wider than the county specs. After you find out the cost that may be the reason the current owner wants out. That may also be the reason you and those other owners that use the road do not want to accept the burden as the new owner. In the meantime maybe you could form a neighborhood group to regrade the dirt road and fill in the potholes with gravel and do a final compaction as a temporary measure. The 18 wheeler trucker should contribute the most.
