Private Street Information | City of Worcester, MA

Private streets have a long history in Worcester. The fact that they exist at all is not unique to Worcester; other communities also have private streets. What makes private streets in Worcester so noteworthy is the number of them (about 1000 segments), their mileage (about 100 miles) and the number of citizens that live on or travel over them.

Most private streets in Worcester are unpaved "dirt roads" that were never constructed to acceptable standards. They often lack basic road requirements like proper drainage or a suitable foundation. Their origin can be traced to the days before sub-division control laws regulated land development. Before 1925, anyone owning property in Worcester could record a plan dividing their property into new lots and proposed streets. No prior review or approval was required, nor was there any requirement to guarantee that the proposed streets would, in fact, be constructed, let alone properly engineered. The enactment of the Sub-division Control Law, in conjunction with city regulations, have effectively eliminated the creation of substandard, oftentimes dirt private streets that were commonplace years ago.

Those that remain are a vestige of the past. They represent an ongoing neighborhood and public works problem for which new solutions are needed. The fact that private streets were constructed without meeting acceptable engineering standards is the reason they pothole, washout or erode and cause abutters to seek help from the city. However, the help your DPW can offer is limited because the street is private, much the way that a driveway is private. The city has no legal interest in the street and any service provided by the city needs to be in full accordance with state statutes that regulate how Worcester can spend public funds on private roads. By way of contrast, public streets are those in which the city has a public interest and which were built to city standards.

If you are an abutter on a private street and want to have the road surface improved, the city has the following two (2) programs that you can consider.

Private Street Conversion

Under this program, roads are built to the city's highest standards. Accordingly, it is the most expensive option. An entire street or portion can be considered for conversion to a public street. If a street is voted and approved for conversion, it is engineered, constructed and paved to satisfy current highway engineering standards. After completion, the road is accepted as a public street and forever maintained by the city.

The construction cost to convert a street is paid entirely by the abutters and generally ranges from $120 to $160 per foot of frontage. The cost is charged to each abutter based on the actual cost of construction or the estimate that was given to the abutters when the street was initially voted for conversion.....whichever cost is lower. All other costs associated with the work, including the engineering design and construction inspection, are paid by the city.

The city realizes that the cost of conversion can be a financial burden. For that reason, it has developed the following four different payment options:

Pay in full when assessed.
Finance total over 10 years at 5%.
Finance total over 20 years at 5%.

Example:

For example: A property with 100 feet of frontage and a cost of $150 per foot would owe $15,000. Their finance options as explained above would result in the following:

A one time payment of $15,000.
An annual payment of $1,905.50 with the total to be paid of $19,055.
An annual payment of $1,185.25 with the total of all payments to equal $23,705.

Private Street Betterment

The Private Street Betterment Program was developed as a less costly option to the Private Street Conversion Program. It is a program that provides a paved street at a cost lower than the conversion program. It is less costly because the road is constructed to a lower standard. The road remains private but the city guarantees its work for a 5-year term.

Under this program, the city designs improvements that satisfy lower but yet acceptable engineering standards. The city oversees the construction of the road to ensure conformity with its design. The city finances the cost of the work and uses its purchasing power to buy materials at a lower unit cost than would any individual. The result is a paved street that meets basic road design standards. If properly maintained, the road should last well beyond the 5-year guarantee period.

Generally, the cost for this program is about 75% of the cost of the Private Street Conversion option. The full cost of construction is paid by the abutters and must be paid back over a 5-year term at 5% interest. No other financing options are available under this program.

Summary of Options

For your convenience, we have summarized the options, the cost and products of each in the table below:

OPTIONS	RESULTING IMPROVEMENTS	COST TO PROPERTY OWNER	FINANCING
Private Street Conversion	Street made public and paved to City standards. City will maintain in perpetuity.	$120 - $160 per linear foot of frontage	Pay in full. 5% for 10 yrs. 5% for 20 yrs.
Private Street Betterment	Street paved, but not to same standards as public streets. Pavement guaranteed for five (5) years.	$90 - $120 per linear foot of frontage	5% for 5 yrs.
Have the Street Privately Paved	Extent and quality of work determined by property owners.	Property owners pay entire cost. No city involvement.	N/A

There is a great deal of information here and much that has not been included. We welcome your telephone calls or visits to learn more about your rights and choices as private street abutters. Please call our Engineering Division at (508) 799-1454 for more information.