Maintenance of Overgrowth Falls on Everyone

Summer may be nearing a close, but that has not stopped a growing problem around town, literally. As normally happens during the warm weather, trees have been full of life, flowers have been blooming, and roadside brush has been growing, growing, growing.

This would not be such a problem if it was just sticking to the sides of the road and not creating any sort of hindrance to drivers around town. Unfortunately, this has not been the case at all.

In many areas of town, brush has become so overgrown that it is blocking visibility to drivers attempting to turn onto a street, causing them to pull far out just to see if someone is coming. In some areas, this solves the problem, even if it shouldn’t have to. But in other areas? It makes visibility only slightly better, leaving drivers guessing as to whether it really is safe to go.

One would think that since this is a problem that crops up every summer, there would be regular cleanups of brush, from everyone, before it gets out of hand. It should not reach the point where excess brush is growing over the road itself.

And while the town does bear responsibility in keeping the roads clear and safe for drivers, especially in business areas or areas without much development, homeowners bear this same responsibility, although many refuse to acknowledge it.

Anyone who has brush or other vegetation growing along their property that is encroaching on the street, especially in cases where visibility is impaired, has a responsibility to clear this excess growth before it becomes a hindrance to others.

It cannot be up to the city alone to keep all of Shelton’s streets clear of overgrowth. There is simply too much land and too many streets around town for the city to be able to keep up with, or even notice, every issue where there is overgrowth.

The solution is a simple one: If one notices vegetation growing near the road, simply remove it. If everyone pitched in a bit not only would the roads be clear, but the town would look well maintained in the process.