The Town of Middleburgh has begun action to abandon a portion of Tinkley Hollow Road.
The dirt road, located between Mill Valley and Greenbush Hill roads, is seasonal, but many people use it as a short cut to Cobleskill during the summer.
Highway Superintendent Dale Nunamann said earlier this month that he was afraid someone would build a home on the road making it necessary to make tremendous upgrades to the existing road.
The road is very narrow and has a creek on one side and a steep bank on the other.
The town would have to contract out the work at great expense to make major improvements to the road, Mr. Nunamann said.
Town attorney Raynor Duncombe said the town could abandon the road in two different ways: A straight abandonment in which the ownership of the road reverts back to the property owners or through a qualified abandonment which would retain the right-of-ways for vehicle travel but the town would not maintain it.
Members agreed to proceed on a qualified abandonment and a proposal is expected next month.
For a qualified abandonment, a public hearing would be required on the county level. A hearing would not be required on the town level.
The town is considering abandoning about 1.4 miles of the road from Mill Valley Road to the Dafeldecker property.
Officials said some lots have been subdivided near the road but they front on Mill Valley Road.