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I’m off duty as I write this e-mail, hoping to get signatures to submit to the District #5 Environmental Comm. in time for next Tuesday, Sept. 16 that will be the 5th of 7 Act 250 hearings on three segments that will improve the road.
There are 6.2 miles of US 2 in Cabot. Other than construction of the two climbing lanes (1980, 1985); two minor bridge widening District Maintenance projects (1950’s); improvements to Bridge #89 over Molly’s Brook in 1974; and resurfacing, this stretch of US 2 remains unchanged since 1932. The first segment to be reconstructed is the serpentine segment by the Marshfield Reservoir. Construction can begin in 2009 if the Act 250 Permit is granted. The money and all the other permits are in place. The land acquisition was accomplished 7 years ago without eminent domain – all the property owners on Segment 1 reached agreement with VTrans. Segments 2 and 3 are on the radar but I have no idea when the acquisition from private owners will take place; nor do I know when the money will be programmed.
The design for Segment 1 will be two 12 foot (one east and one west bound) lanes and 8 foot shoulders (good for rescue vehicles, errant and disabled vehicles, cyclists); and an 11 foot climbing lane starting at about Porter Road and going east past the access to the Boat Access where the climbing lane will taper (good for Cabot Creamery trucks, plow drivers, snowmobile trailers, loggers, RVer’s).
Because VTrans is affecting a natural resource (wetlands) with construction of the 3 segments, it is required to mitigate and bought a wetland mitigation site in 1999 in East Montpelier. (This project has only been around since the mid 1980’s with state and federal dollars spent on staff time and consultants to plan, scope, design and permit the road improvements and mitigation site). Now a small group who use the mitigation site as a swimming hole is opposing the reconstruction of the 3 segments of US 2 in Cabot. They want the plans to be revised narrowing the corridor from its current design. (It may be none of these folks travel US 2 east of Marshfield.) They are also claiming the loss of swimming at the East Montpelier site. Again prior to 1999 this site was in private ownership and possibly could have been developed. VTrans bought the site with Federal Highway and state matching dollars for a specific purpose.
If any one is interested in signing in support of the road improvements, they can stop by some evening this week. My address is 300 Sandy Beach Road; phone no. is 563-2523. The only requirement is to be a driver of US 2 in Cabot who supports a safer road. Thanks. [Judy Lewis]
Give Judy a call or stop by if you are interested in having this resolved quickly rather than getting caught up in red tape and disputes as the Danville Green Project has been. The costs of these projects only go one way - UP. If you aren't a regular commuter, perhaps you'll want to pass the information on to someone you know who is. And thanks, Judy, for your efforts on behalf of Rt. 2 commuters.
1 comment:
Actually, the "small group" engaged in the Act 250 process to protect wetlands along the proposed Route 2 highway expansion and to protect a swimming hole local to East Montpelier--too distant from the about-to-be-destroyed wetlands to effectively compensate for lost wetland functions has a list of concerns that many people in Danville may share. Judy Lewis, as an AOT employee for 30 years, looks at this project throught that specific lens. If you think you may want to be involved, think about it for yourself first. Consider, for example, the challenges we currently have in Vermont to maintain the transportation infrastructure that we already have. The current proposal will almost double the width of pavement across the Marshfield Reservoir--a beautiful scenic route with fragile wetlands on both sides (there are other wetlands along the other two highway segments as well). Do you really think this is necessary for safety? Some experts don't think so. They feel that this proposal will increase speeds and thus decrease safety. And the costs are already so outrageously high, AOT won't disclose the pricetag.
So think first before just jumping on board unless you explore what the issues really are.
And by the way, if someone wanted to fill in a swimming hole in your neighborhood that generations of Vermonters have enjoyed--not only for swimming, but for fishing, observing wildlife, walking dogs--for a project that, at best, has a 50% chance of success (that's the rate of success for Army Corps of Engineers constructed wetlands; not generally done in Vermont), how would you feel? Get the whole story. We can have a safer highway, for less money, without destroying as many wetlands along the highway with a more carefully-considered highway design. Then we wouldn't need to fill in the only swimming hole--a 6 acre acquifer-fed sand & gravel quarry pond--in East Montpelier. It's a beautiful spot!
Thanks for taking the time to think things through.
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