The dirt roads of Philipstown, which have long been a source of controversy among residents of the town, are about to lose some of their mystery.
A research project, supervised by New York lawyer Delmar Karlen, Jr. will analyze property records in the Putnam County Clerk’s office to determine actual ownership of the roads.
Lawyer Karlen is Associate Regional Counsel for the United States Environmental Protection Agency and Adjunct Professor of Law at the N.Y. Law school, in addition to his private practice.
The dirt road study was given impetus when it was learned that with modern methods the cost of maintaining dirt roads compares favorably with paved roads. It had been generally assumed that dirt roads were significantly more expensive.
The study will involve a detailed search of historic property records to determine basic ownership, exact width of roads, ownership of rights of way and other factors. The study is funded by Lou Petrocelli of Garrison, himself an owner of property served by dirt roads and a candidate for Philipstown supervisor.
"There is no deadline for the project," said Petrocelli. "We want it to be as accurate as possible so it can be a dependable guide for future actions. It should be a great help in assessing the historic backgrounds of Philipstown’s roads."
