'They worsen every day': Ogden residents push for upkeep of crumbling roads

Roads, like people, can become orphans when no one takes responsibility for their care as they age.

Orphan roads have become a shorthand term for streets constructed by developers to connect newly built subdivisions with existing roads. These connector roads are then never turned over to the North Carolina Department of Transportation for upkeep, said Benjamin Hughes, a district engineer with the department of transportation.

In recent years, that's been the case for at least a few stretches of roadway in New Hanover County. It's unclear just how many orphan roads exist in New Hanover County as the count isn't tracked by the N.C. Department of Transportation, according to Lauren Haviland, a department of transportation communications officer.

In New Hanover County, roads are owned and maintained by either the N.C. Department of Transportation, the city of Wilmington, or private owners.

'Like Lord of the Flies': Road troubles continue in Pender neighborhood

Done Soon?: Wilmington's biggest road projects see new construction schedule

Once completed, the developer of an orphan road often hands over ownership of the road to a homeowner's association that may not realize its upkeep hasn't been formally transferred to the state's department of transportation. When they do find out, the subdivision's developer is often long gone, Hughes said.

At that point, the road is often in disrepair and needs upgrades to meet the transportation department's standards before it can take over the road's maintenance, Hughes said.

Often it falls to adjacent property owners to raise money to repair road "deficiencies," which could include repaving or patching the road, installing new storm drainage or utilities or adjusting pavement markings.

Robert Weber has lived on Bedrock Court, an orphan road in Ogden, since 1995. Weber spearheaded an effort to ask New Hanover County leaders to help bring two roads in his subdivision up to N.C. Department of Transportation standards.

He's had success. The New Hanover County Board of Commissioners approved a resolution this month green lighting the road improvements along Bedrock Court and a portion of Stoneybrook Road.

The upgrades, which at last bid cost an estimated $42,000, will be paid for by the 23 property owners that abut and have addresses on either street. That amount split equally among property owners, amounts to more than $1,800 per home.

In this scenario, the county operates like a bank, providing the financing for the project, Weber said. New Hanover County collects money from residents that's used to pay a contractor to make the road improvements.

“The crazy thing is we pay our taxes the same as the people who live right around the corner – same sized houses, same development – but they are on the DOT maintenance system, and we're not," Weber said. "So we have to pay to get our roads fixed, which is kind of unfair, but we don't have much choice, our roads are getting pretty bad.”

Weber and nine of his neighbors chipped in to pay a contractor to fix potholes on Bedrock Court in 2015. Earlier this year, a collapsing pipe was replaced at the intersection of Bedrock Court and Stoneybrook Road, leaving a hole in the pavement, Weber said.

"There's some pretty bad potholes," Weber said. "All we need is a really, really good flood and I don't know what will be left."

The county has asked for an updated bid on the project, and Weber said he worries inflation and the rising cost of materials could cause the cost of the improvements to climb for the residents. Once the improvements are made, the road will be taken into the N.C. Department of Transportation maintenance plan, according to county planning staff.

At the board of commissioners meeting he thanked county staff and the board of commissioners for moving the project forward.

"They're not going to get in any better condition than they are today," Weber told commissioners. "They worsen every day."

Reporter Emma Dill can be reached at 910-343-2096 or edill@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: New Hanover neighborhood looks to tackle aging orphan roads