As longtime residents of Auciello Drive, we are writing in support of Article 38 at the 2026 Annual Town Meeting, which will accept Auciello Drive as a public road.

For many of us who have lived here for years, Auciello Drive has never felt separate from Hopkinton. We pay taxes in Hopkinton. Our children attend Hopkinton schools. We vote in Hopkinton. We call Hopkinton police, fire and EMS when needed. We are part of this community in every meaningful sense. For 30 years, the town recognized this reality by plowing Auciello Drive — until January 2024, when plowing services were suspended. Accepting Article 38 will restore them.

But the path to acceptance hasn’t been without headwinds.

Some on the Select Board have suggested that accepting Auciello Drive sets a precedent. That’s simply not true. Town Meeting has accepted roads in worse shape than ours — including in 2016–17 — and even accepted some before completion, as with Legacy Farms Road North in 2019.

Some in Town Hall expected residents to completely repave and update sewer pipes to modern standards before acceptance. But Massachusetts state law is clear: “Perfect” roads aren’t required for Town Meeting acceptance. And it’s simply unrealistic to expect private residents to pay $170,000 or more to repave a road that is safe and functioning fine today.

Some have suggested this is only about one street. It’s not. The town is asking us to accept Linden Street, which is in worse repair than Auciello Drive, and we should also be thinking about Woody Island, Twin Pine, Pine Island, Newbury and others — some of which also lost plowing. Accepting Auciello is about showing that this town can solve reasonable problems with common sense and respect for the people who live here.

Ultimately, this is about fairness. The residents of Auciello Drive should not be treated as second-class neighbors because of a technicality. Voting yes on Article 38 simply brings the legal status of the road in line with everyday reality. Many towns across Massachusetts have accepted legacy roads that clearly functioned as part of the public system. Hopkinton’s Planning Department, DPW and Select Board should do the same.

Please support Article 38. And thank you to everyone who has taken the time to understand this issue.

— Peri and Mike Cavedon, Hopkinton

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