05-17-1976 Council Meeting Minutes Public Hearing/ring route

Home Browse Search

� � . PUBLIC HEARING OF THE ORONO COUNCIL MAY 17, 1976 Page 3 � Aside from the wetlands, the area affected by this PETITION • proposed road is primarily agricultural and (Continued) . grazing land and should not be diverted to housing development, which will inevitably result from � the subdivision caused by this roadway. � Cost of construction on a project of this kind will be much greater than hinted at in the letter � of April 9 from McCombs-Knutson Associates accompanying the announcement of the May 17 public � meeting at Orono Village Hall, and far greater � than the cost of upgrading and widening any existing alternate roadway. Further, one must � question whether the plan will relieve the traffic on #15 sufficiently to justify the cost and the � additional complications for taxpayers and residents of the area closest to the proposed road. � However, if indeed a heavy traffic diversion does � occur from the actual savings in mileage of 12 miles, � there will be a serious and unmentioned safety factor involved in funneling this traffic onto � U.S. #12. � The present County #6 intersects U.S. #12 at a point where there are more than an unsual number � of accidents each year. Not only are there sight line hazards at present on U.S. #12, but the � intersection is only thirty feet from a major � railway line, and a problem now exists with the backup of traffic at prime commuting hours when � a train goes through. Also there is considerable danger from westbound and/or eastbound traffic � attempting to turn off tT. S. #12 onto #6 during the passage of a train, especially a long freight • train. � The only solution then will be a very expensive • bridge and clover leaf approach to U.S. #12 which, again, is not hinted at in the McCombs-Knutson � Associates letter of April 9 , 1976. � The disruption of an eco system which is irreplaceable, of one aesthetically attractive area to be replaced • by concrete and asphalt, of plentiful wildlife which will be frightened off, of potentially � dangerous problems at the Burlington Northern Line � tracks, cannot be justified against the dubious advantage of transferring the traffic problem from � one area to another. � We feel that now is the time to get down to some serious and meaningful discussions on the development � of a competent and complete mass transit system • instead of more new roads which instead of offering a solution, only creates a new problem. � � �