Highway plan drives some crazy

By Michael Gorman

THE VANGUARD

NovaNewsNow.com

Proposed changes to the highway system and other roads in Yarmouth raised concerns from some residents at a public meeting last night over the possibility of lost houses, businesses and impacts on the environment.

More than 60 people turned out at the Grand Hotel for a presentation by staff of the Department of Transportation and Public Works (TPW) as they outlined the results of the Yarmouth Area Transportation Study, conducted last summer by the town and municipality of Yarmouth and the Department of Transportation.

The proposed changes are big: a roundabout interchange at the end of Highway 103 that links with Highway 101 to allow seamless transfer; a second roundabout interchange farther south on the Hardscratch Road that would provide entry and exit to town via the 103, the Hardscratch Road and a new road, called the North Yarmouth Collector, that would join the 103 and 101 and continue to Brooklyn Street, eventually linking with Chestnut Street to provide a more direct route to the hospital from the highway; and an interchange at the Greenville Road overpass, allowing for access to the Hebron Industrial Park from Highway 101.

Other changes that could contribute to easing traffic congestion in the town include restrictions on the size and number of driveways at businesses, new traffic signals and a possible left turn lane on the airport stretch.

One of the main concerns from people in the audience was the impact that such changes would have on their land, houses and businesses. Keith Boddy, a highway design engineer, told the crowd that in designing the plan, his department did the best they could to minimize the necessary changes.

"It's going to affect people's homes and it's an unfortunate circumstance," he said, "but we would rather take two homes than 20 homes, I'll be honest with you."

During the presentation there was also discussion of doing the project in phases.

Because of the scope and possible cost of the project — possibly between $9 million and $12 million — the designers said it might be easier to access funding if they break the project into parts.

"What we're afraid of is if we propose a $10 million project, it's not going to get done," said Phil Corkum. "What we're trying to do is phase it in such that it makes it more attractive to fund and actually get something constructed."

If there were to be a first phase, the North Yarmouth Collector and the interchange that would link it with the 103 and 101 could be it. There was also feeling from some of the department staff that the Greenville Road interchange could be the first part of the project to be realized. Even if it were to be done in phases, all necessary land for the project would be purchased prior to construction.

This idea was also met with concern. Some people in the crowd worried that if the project is done in stages it will never be completed.

The meeting ended with perhaps more questions than answers. Planning officials will now return to the drawing board and take the comments and concerns of the audience into consideration.

Boddy said he wasn't surprised by any of the concerns. And while some, such as the question of environmental impact on the area pegged for the North Yarmouth Collector, must be further investigated, he said he didn't hear anything unexpected.

"We don't come into these things blind and say, 'well, we'll just put this here and too bad for those people; forget about the bog, or forget about this.' We take all of that into consideration when we develop plans and, in this case, a scenario that we're bringing forward to the public."

Boddy could not give an estimate as to when the next presentation or news of the planning phase might come.