I am writing you to amend concerns for the Continuation of the Public Hearing
for the Site Plan review appeal for Planned Unit Development Special Permit, and
Wetlands and Flood Hazard Overlay District for the subdivided lots listed as 440,
460, 462, and 488 Highland Ave, regarding the issues of traffic.
I please ask you to take these concerns into serious consideration. The traffic which will be created by Wal-Mart and Lowes will be the most irresponsible and disasterous to the nearby residents respectfully of Salem and Lynn, and the downtown areas of Salem.
For the following reasons concerning traffic, I wish to share with you my concerns:
1. There is no light that can be fixed along Rt. 107 that can help the traffic. The real problem is the residential density along Western Avenue. There are major crossroads which cross over Western Ave. Lynn does not deserve to be destroyed by having a highway jamming into it.
Making any efficiency in speeding the traffic flow through a light, will only increase the dangers that Highland Ave already causes, as it slams into Lynn's residential neighborhoods on Western Ave. There have already been several Lynn/ Salem deaths caused on the transition from Salem's Highland Ave. to Lynn's Western Ave.
We cannot have cars running down Highland Avenue into the dense residential neighborhoods beyond the city limits. Highland Ave is a bad transition from a Highway into a residential zone. We need to slow down and decrease the traffic on Highland Ave, not increase it. Increasing the flow of traffic, coming down Highland Ave is like sending cars at a high speed with no brakes into our residential neighborhoods. Lynn relies on the lights to give the crossings of cars and pedestrians a break, down the road safely. In fact, there should rightfully be speed bumps over Buchanan Bridge.
2. These proposed developments will clog the road ways, where tourists and nearby towns will not want to sit in traffic to travel into Salem to visit the downtown area shops, museums, Salem Willow's and other destinations. It is already difficult to access Salem from Boston, imagine how this proposed project will harm the heart of Salem.
3. There is significant history relating to these wooded areas and Spring Pond, which needs to be recognized. It would be a Historic Crime if the proposed Lowes , Super Wal-Mart and future residential zoned area developments disturb this once historic retreat.
4. These proposed developments will increase global warming. The Super Wal-Mart and Lowes location, which will create a significant large amount of traffic to a poor access area, not reducing pollution and energy waste through transportation, but will increase Global Warming. Traffic is already bad, and if increased, the mileage per gallon will significantly decrease, while the air pollution will increase.
4a. The facts relating to this proposal are:
Traffic generated by Walmart worsens air quality.
In May 2009, a judge in San Bernardino County, CA overturned approval of Walmart’s plans to build a Supercenter in Yucca Valley, CA, stating that Walmart’s proposal underestimated the large amounts of greenhouse gas, dust, and ozone pollution that the store would generate.
A review of a proposed Walmart expansion in Fairfield, CA found that greenhouse gas emissions related to the expansion would have a “significant unavoidable impact”.
Super Wal-Mart stores actually generate an average of nearly 10,000 car trips per day. (Figure based on the average Supercenter store size of 186,000 square feet, cited in Walmart Stores, Inc. Form 10-K for the year ended January 31, 2009 )
5. Super Wal-Mart has clogged streets in several other communities. The facts are online, and that is what is going to happen here.
Please take all these reasons into consideration, before making a judgement on an
area which is not familiar to those who are making plans. I hope the government of Lynn, Salem and the State step in to realize the existing problems and say no to the ignorant proposals of Super Wal-Mart and Lowes, before this irresponsible plan comes into action.
I ask you to refute the false traffic estimates by the traffic engineers and look at the real cases and studies of several problematic areas around the country regarding these stores.
Thank you. Respectfully,
cc. Salem Urban Planning, Salem Council & Mass Department of Transportation
dmcknight@salem.com
spinto55@hotmail.com
robertkmccarthy@verizon.net
joan.lovely@verizon.net
sargeatlarge74@aol.com
jerrylryan@comcast.net
DOT: http://www.massdot.state.ma.us/main/MassDOTContactUs.aspx#Contact
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