By Leah Justice

leah.justice@tryondailybulletin.com

Some residents had been fighting the paving for about a year sending emails and letters to the DOT and speaking against the paving to the Polk County Board of Commissioners. Polk Commissioners approved the paving in April 2015. Residents against the paving said paving the section of road will diminish the character of River Road, as it is heavily used by horses and carriages. Residents against also said paving will pose safety concerns for horses. The rest of River Road remains unpaved and DOT officials said last year they have no plans to pave any other sections. Commissioners also in their approval of paving the section motioned for no other sections of River Road to be paved.

DOT said the paving is estimated to cost $30,000. It was a section that DOT had all the right of ways for and DOT told commissioners last year they have no other rights of way on any other sections of River Road.

DOT is also leaving a 10-ft. section that is to be compacted with gravel then grassed to be used for equestrian travel and walking, etc.

Polk County Commissioner Ray Gasperson, who was one of four out of five commissioners to vote for the paving, said DOT has given Polk County an example of what he hopes the county will see in other paving projects in the future with the grassing of a lane for equestrian use.

“This is a prime example of best practices,” Gasperson said. “It’s great what they’ve done.”

See Thursday’s edition of the Bulletin for more details.