My Neighbor Owns The Shared Driveway We Both Use. Am I Under Obligation To Pay Them For Maintenance?

Location: Connecticut, USA

Just purchased and moved to a new house over the summer. Our retired neighbor owns the entire length of the driveway we both use. We were told the driveway was co-owned (my mistake for not doing due dilligence). They’ve stated they will be charging us $90.00 “per pass” with the snowplow to keep the driveway clear (the sellers agent told us they charge $40/storm).

We haven’t, to our knowledge, signed any agreements regarding the use or maintenance of the driveway. Other than a “conservation easement” I don’t see any specific details listed on our towns tax assessment/GIS maps.

I want to be a good neighbor, and do my part. I mentioned that I am considering buying my own plow vehicle to assist, and they took offense to that. This more or less feels like extortion, given they don’t want me to plow and have increased the price to higher than what we were told.

Are we obligated to pay them for maintaining a driveway that they’ve expressed complete ownership of?

EDIT: The neighbors are in their 80s, retired, and would plow it themselves with an old dodge ram they have exclusively for taking care of the driveway. I’m on good terms with them (plan to have some beers and brats or something) but just want to know what I may have an obligation to do vs a verbal agreement.

I want to pull my weight, whether that means plowing or maintenance on their plow setup (myself and neighbor are mechanically savvy) but $90 “per pass” is excessive. I’ve lived In New Hampshire and have done snow removal professionally, as a reference, but no longer have a plow vehicle.

My property has almost zero frontage with the road, and what little there is has a creek running through it.

Our purchase agreement/title docs show easements exist but don’t specify anything more than that. I’ll have to reach out to our attorney and the town to see more. A survey is in the cards too.

Thanks to all who have commented with good advice!