Residents of Jackson Hamlet say they are still waiting for progress on long-sought repairs to Gaines Street, which serves as the main access for just under a dozen homes in the community. Since the road has fallen into disrepair, the residents have voiced concerns about safety and accountability.
“We’ve been trying for years to get some work done on the road,” said Thomas Tyson, president of the Jackson Hamlet Community Action Group. “If anything would happen, fire or someone sick, it would be hard to get to the homes. We’ve been patching the road to keep it passable.”
Jackson Hamlet is a small community on the fringes of Pinehurst and Aberdeen, situated just off of N.C. Highway 5. Tyson said Jackson Hamlet is part of Pinehurst’s extraterritorial jurisdiction.
Several parts of Gaines Street have washed out, leaving it vulnerable during storms and making it difficult for emergency vehicles to navigate. Other areas have become so overgrown that it’s been reduced to one lane.
Tyson said the Action Committee has raised the issue with the N.C. Department of Transportation, the Moore County Board of Commissioners, and the Village of Pinehurst in hopes of finding a solution.
Village of Pinehurst Mayor Patrick Pizzella said the Village of Pinehurst has worked to identify resources despite jurisdictional limits and has been taking steps in the right direction.
“This is a long-standing issue, but several weeks ago we were approached and asked if there was anything VOP could do to help with Gaines Road,” Pizzella recounted to Sandhills Sentinel. “Village staff explained that it’s not in our jurisdiction, and we legally cannot spend Village funds on it. We directed them to the Community Development Block Grant, and I am told they are looking into that vehicle. The only catch is that they need a municipality to apply on their behalf. Our staff offered to help, and we are awaiting next steps.”
Pizzella hopes to keep the issue moving forward by providing any assistance possible through the Village.
Several instances of damage and neglect follow the “state maintenance ends” sign, which has been moved over the years.
Despite this, residents expressed concern about the potential delay in receiving the grant. Tyson said that the Community Development Block Grant isn’t viable until October, and he would hope to see improvements made sooner.
“But what’s going to happen right now?” asked Tyson. “What if there was an emergency situation? They’d have to go way around and go in the back way. But it’s been a tennis match back and forth with DOT.”
Tyson used the example of one elderly resident who depends on daily visits from a nurse, who struggled to reach the home during Tropical Storm Chantal. He added that many residents are physically or financially unable to maintain the road themselves, making reliable access all the more urgent.
Tyson said NCDOT has discussed a long-term project that would involve drainage work and cutting trees for additional right of way. He said the property owners would agree to those steps but still worry about the timeline.
“DOT says it’s a community problem and our responsibility to fix it,” explained Tyson. “We’ve emphasized to them we just don’t have it. We got to get the road fixed, and we need some assistance, meaning dollars and cents, to get that road fixed and hopefully saved.”
Tyson also pointed to the location of the “state maintenance ends” sign on Gaines Road. He said the marker was initially installed farther down the road, which kept the stretch under state care, but was later moved closer and closer to the main road. According to Tyson, that change meant DOT crews stopped scraping and grading the portion beyond the sign, leaving it to deteriorate. There are also two fire hydrants on the road, both obscured by underbrush on property lines.
“The bottom line is the road needs to be fixed; it’s just terrible,” Tyson said. “Even if we had a temporary fix where they grade the road, add some gravel, something to make it passable.”
The Moore County Board of Commissioners has also previously acknowledged the road concerns and stated that they would work with residents and the NCDOT to pursue solutions. Sandhills Sentinel reached out to both entities for a comment and has not yet received a reply.
Pizzella said that Village staff will be following this issue closely to help advance the project whenever possible.
The Jackson Hamlet Community Action group holds monthly meetings, and Tyson said road repairs remain the main issue. Their next meeting is scheduled for Sept. 6 at 9 a.m. at the Jackson Hamlet Community Center.
Want Moore news that matters? Please click here to sign up for the free Sandhills Sentinel e-newsletter.
~ Article, video, and photos by Sandhills Sentinel Assistant Editor Abegail Murphy. Abegail has been writing for Sandhills Sentinel since 2021.
Comments
Comments are closed.