Fallowfield residents raise concerns about roadway

By Taylor Brown
tbrown@yourmvi.com

An unused road in Fallowfield Township is becoming a growing concern for residents as supervisors continue to discuss how best to address the problem.
Last month, an unidentified resident brought up concerns to supervisors regarding illegal drug activity, trash and other vulgar graffiti in the area of the dead-end road.
Chairman Bruce Smith said the road is close to the Fallowfield Township border and can be seen from Interstate 70 after the Bentleyville exit, across from the Alta Vista Business Park.
The road is not used regularly, aside from providing access to utility vehicles.
Until 2014, it was a through way from Monongahela to Clover Hill, before a project on Interstate 70 took a section of the roadway out.
When the project on the interstate was completed, the township took ownership of the remaining portion for an annual turn-back fee, about $2,300 each year, which is used to maintain the road.
While there is no reason for cars or traffic to travel on the roadway, residents are frustrated at the lack of progress to address their concerns.
At Wednesday’s monthly meeting Supervisor Earl Smith said he recently took time to clean up the area, including painting over graffiti on Jersey barriers and picking up garbage and other items.
“People have been dumping garbage there for as long as I can remember,” Sadler said. “Since last month’s meeting when it was brought to our attention, I cleaned up the best I could and there has not been any activity that is visible.”
Residents in attendance disagreed, citing there is still a heavy traffic presence in the area at all hours of the night and day.
One resident, who was not identified, claimed she found shell casings in the area and a homeless man living in a car, which caused her concern for her family pets and young children.
She claims the problem has worsened over the past several years and supervisors and police do not always respond to requests for help.

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