If you happen to drive a road regularly that has crumbled to practical impassibility, you no doubt see the need for road maintenance. Not only do the many potholes force drivers to wind like drunks down some streets in order to avoid an expensive alignment or tire replacement, it gets frustating to think that even if the holes were patched Mother Nature would destroy the asphalt all over again within the week. This winter has been particular tough on town budgets, with more snow than New Hampshire has seen in the last 100 years, wreaking havoc on plowing and salt budgets.

Regular maintenance is part of the solution, but people in many towns voted against town operating budgets and road maintenance warrants.

In 2007, Bow voters cut the paving budget out of the town budget, so no roads were paved last year. At this year’s annual Town Meeting, Hopkinton voters saw the need to add $54,000 to its Public Works budget, which includes highways and streets. We bet many would say they’ll have to live with the bumps in order to stay afloat financially. Next year? Well, we’ll see if the economy improves and many town roads will get the help they need.

- Editorials published by Neighborhood News Inc. are written by an editorial board.

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