Next Step in Re-Opening Mansfield's Ravine Road on Tap for Monday Council Meeting​

MANSFIELD, CT — A formal outline on how Ravine Road is to be used in the future could be in place by Monday night.

The Town Council could take care of that when it meets Monday at 7 p.m. at the Audrey P. Beck Municipal Building.

Back on February 22, the council authorized town staff members to implement several steps to make safer the unimproved portion of Ravine Road and to address what Town Manager Matthew Hart called, "the concerns raised by the public and the proprietors of Spring Brook Farm.

The Green family owns and operates the farm.

The remedies included:

• Installing guiderail and other safety improvements, and reopen the unimproved portion of Ravine Road.
• Installing gates at each end of the unimproved section, which will be left in an open position.
• Negotiating an agreement through which designated personnel from Spring Brook Farm would be authorized to close the gates when needed to conduct farming operations.

The cost estimate was $110,000 and the work is under way, Hart said

The agreement had been negotiated with the Greens and the council will vote on endorsing it, Hart said.

"The Town's objective was to provide the farm with limited opportunities to conduct agricultural operations without interference from vehicular traffic, while minimizing the impact of closing the road on the neighborhood and the public," Hart said.

The road was closed months ago for safety concerns after a truck crash. The road is narrow and has steep portions.