The problem with a couple of roads in Aleppo is that no one seems to want to claim them. At issue are School Street and Sewickley Heights Drive, both of which, township officials say, are privately owned.
The ownership of School Street is the subject of a lawsuit filed in February by officials of Glenfield who say Aleppo owns the road and should be caring for it. Aleppo Solicitor Harlan Stone said that was not the case. "We're talking to Glenfield to resolve the ownership issue," he said.
But the question of who is responsible for Sewickley Heights Drive, built as a private road along with the Sewickley Heights Manor development, seems more concrete. According to Mr. Stone, the road never was conveyed formally from the Sewickley Heights Manor homeowners association to the township. Further, the road needs significant improvements before it meets state Department of Transportation specifications for such a road, he said.
"The obligation of the homeowners association to bring the road up to PennDOT standards was never done. The previous solicitor held the same view," he said.
Aleppo Commissioner Drew Forsyth said he had no problem with the township's continuing to maintain Sewickley Heights Drive.
"As long as Aleppo is reimbursed, I don't see why they can't plow and salt the road in the winter," he said. "We did it last year, under contract."
The question of the maintenance of School Street is more difficult, Mr. Forsyth said. "Now that School Street is collapsing, Glenfield would like Aleppo to rebuild it. ... That's not going to happen, because we don't own the road," he said.
First Published: July 27, 2006, 4:00 a.m.