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S 2596

An Act relative to maintenance of private roads in the city of Gloucester

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Ann-Margaret Ferrante and 1 co-sponsor

S 2596 - An Act relative to maintenance of private roads in the city of Gloucester OverviewBill Number: S 2596 Title: An Act relative to maintenance of private roads in the city o

Signed by the Governor, Chapter 75 of the Acts of 2026
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Bill Summary · S 2596

S 2596 - An Act relative to maintenance of private roads in the city of Gloucester

Overview

Bill Number: S 2596
Title: An Act relative to maintenance of private roads in the city of Gloucester
Status: Bill reported favorably by committee and placed in the Orders of the Day for the next session
Introduced: September 02, 2025

Purpose and Intent

This bill aims to establish a program for the city of Gloucester to provide maintenance and repair services for privately owned roads within the city limits. The primary goal is to improve the overall condition and safety of these private roads, which have historically been the responsibility of individual property owners to maintain.

Key Provisions

  • Requires the city of Gloucester to create a private road maintenance program to provide services such as paving, snow removal, and pothole repair on eligible private roads
  • Allows property owners to petition the city to include their private road in the maintenance program
  • Establishes criteria for a private road to qualify for inclusion, such as minimum width, accessibility, and number of properties served
  • Authorizes the city to assess an annual fee on participating property owners to cover the costs of the maintenance program
  • Mandates the city to develop a prioritization system to determine the order in which private roads will receive maintenance services
  • Requires the city to publish a list of private roads enrolled in the program and the associated fees

Affected Parties and Impacts

  • Private property owners in Gloucester with roads on their land would be eligible to participate in the new maintenance program, relieving them of the full burden of road upkeep
  • The city of Gloucester would be responsible for administering the program, contracting maintenance services, and collecting fees from participating property owners
  • Residents who live on or regularly use the privately maintained roads in Gloucester would benefit from improved road conditions and safety

Procedural and Timeline Considerations

The bill has been reported favorably by the relevant legislative committee and placed in the Orders of the Day, indicating it has progressed through the initial stages of the legislative process. If passed by the full legislature and signed into law by the governor, the city of Gloucester would then have 6 months to establish the private road maintenance program and begin providing services to eligible property owners.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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