EDDINGTON, Maine — Though the purpose of a public hearing Wednesday night was to gather public comment for an environmental impact study, the roughly 200 people who turned up were more concerned about the Interstate 395-Route 9 connector’s impact on people.
Some of those who took to the microphone in the Eddington School gym came armed with questions, complaints or both about what might happen to the value of their homes, what it might mean for economic development along Route 9 — Eddington’s only commercial corridor — and their quality of life.
At issue is a proposed Brewer-Holden-Eddington connector road that aims to ease heavy truck traffic between the Canadian Maritimes and the federal highway system. State and federal transportation officials started studying the connector before 2000.
Maine Department of Transportation officials named 2B-2 their preferred route late last year. That option would extend I-395 at its Wilson Street junction and roughly would follow the Holden-Brewer line, mostly on the Brewer side, and then enter Eddington, where it would connect to Route 9.
The DOT and the Federal Highway Administration also officially are considering two other alternatives — 5A2B-2 and 5B2B-2 — which are similar to 2B-2, and a “no build” option.
But because 2B-2 is virtually the same as the 2B route MDOT eliminated from its list of 70-plus alternatives in late 2002, the decision to put 2B-2 at the top of the list stunned town officials and residents of the three communities when they learned about it in late December. The MDOT quickly issued an apology.
Since April 2009, the preferred route had been 3EIK-2, which met the original DOT study requirements and would have displaced only two homes. That option reportedly was taken off the table because the Army Corps had concerns about vernal pools.
Russell Charette, the state Department of Transportation’s project manager for the connector, said last month that while he understood affected residents’ frustrations, as MDOT sees it, 2B-2 would have the least effect on homes and the environment.
As a public safety volunteer, Eddington resident Ben Pratt said, his main concern about the project was safety — which he did not believe would improve if the connector is built.
“I’m a vernal pool guy,” Pratt, a former Democratic state representative, said. “I want to see us protect vernal pools. I don’t apologize for that.
“It’s a solution looking for a problem,” Pratt said. “We have a problem [but] this doesn’t this doesn’t [address] it. … I have seen too many dead people from wrecks on Route 46 and Route 9 and I don’t want to see any more of them. I don’t see how adding this preferred route … benefits anyone.
“My personal opinion is no build is the cheapest, no build is the least environmentally destructive and no build keeps our community put together. … We are already divided ideologically in a lot of ways. We don’t need to be divided [physically] right smack down the middle with this road. It’s not worth it. It’s not good for our community,” he said.
Many of the nearly 20 area residents who spoke up told federal and state transportation officials that the connector shouldn’t be built — that it would not solve regional traffic problems and it would be of no benefit to those who would have to live along it.
Brewer councilors and Eddington selectmen have thrown their support behind the no-build option. During the hearing, Eddington Selectman Joan Brooks delivered a petition opposing the connector signed by 390 residents.
Eddington Selectman Charles Baker Jr., a lifelong resident of his town, brought a list of 26 questions compiled by local officials and residents. The questions ranged from what the project’s real cost would be to who benefits most — “Canadian truckers or the citizens of Maine.”
Though officials from the Maine Department of Transportation, the Federal Highway Administration and the Army Corps of Engineers offered introductory remarks and brief project recaps, they did not respond to questions or comments during the more than two-hour hearing, which their moderator described as a “listening session.”
The lack of give-and-take frustrated some attendees, Brewer residents Larry Adams and Rollie Paradis among them.
“I was hoping to get some answers,” said Adams, who has been following the project closely. He said he had submitted 32 questions he wanted answers to before reading a prepared statement pointing out what he sees as inconsistencies among project-related documents.
“One of the most interesting statements in the 300-plus pages of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement is found on Page S19: ‘However, future development along Route 9 in the study area can impact future traffic flow and the overall benefits of the project,’” he said. “How can success of this project be based on the hope that a community will stagnate? This project hangs future development in Eddington.
Eddington Planning Board member Gretchen Heldmann read a five-page single-spaced statement in which she took project officials to task for failing to involve the public in decision making despite its own Public Involvement Plan document.
Heldmann, who noted she has attended several vernal pool training workshops led by Dr. Aram Calhoun, criticized the DOT for the way in which it conducted its vernal pool assessment. Oddly, she said, the department did not use the standard form used by most other state agencies.
“I asked for copies of the vernal pool field data sheets as part of [a Freedom of Access] request and what i got was a mishmash of their own version of field data sheets and field notebooks — with pages ripped out.”
what are these people complaining about ? are these the same people complaining about the view of a boat yard in belfast or propane tank in searsport. Dont we really need more industry to survive. how can we have more industry with out needed infrastructure. Why is there a woman complaining about having less trucks drive by her house. If i lived in that area i couldn’t wait for the road to be built to have less trucks going by my house. by not having a bypass its limiting the economy of calais, bailyville and eastport.
Then I would suggest you buy the 2 homes that will be taken and and pay the people for relocation and then get back to us when you get paid pennies on the thousand and tossed out and let us know how happy you are about it.
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those people should be thankful! They will have no problem selling their house in a bad market and they can move to a town that actually has an economy instead of Eddington!
So go buy them then you can wave to the Canadians while sitting on the john as they drive through your bathroom.
The more controversy this thing generates, the more meetings and studies will be needed. More money will be spent on that than if it were built. No build is my choice.
The map is bothersome. Why not just make the extension from the interchange section of I395 and cut across the land area to the intersection of 9 and Clark Hill Road, making necessary bridges across any water areas, swamps, and consider the easements of the land of the properties in the area or just buy some of the properties which landowners could agree to sell off a piece. By looking at the map, it seems just a duplication of the roadway parallel to the new proposal. If this cannot be done, just keep things the way they already are and be done with it!
Because the land around “swamps” and water areas is much more sensitive that a double wide lot on route 9.
I see now, and thanks for the answer.
A prime example of Maine not being open for business!
Complain all you want, if this is what the lepage regime wants, it is what will happen.
Building these things is always hard and I feel bad for the people who are going to be affected. The reality is that the road will be good for the region and there is simply no way to build it without making some people unhappy.
I agree. This has got to be hard. Remember the problems surrounding 395? That has been the single biggest traffic improvement in this region, and well worth it. No, I don’t live near that area, and if those folks don’t want the project could we please have the money for an Ellsworth bypass?
“Who benefits most — ‘Canadian truckers or the citizens of Maine.’ ” THIS is the heart of the matter.
Feeling bad doesn’t remove the scars.
Bangorian, please do shed some more of your powerfully intelligent light on this and tell us all just what “region” this new road would be good for?
What the citizens failed to appreciate at this meeting is the profits for the construction companies will be greater when the community is disrupted. “What we have here is a failure to communicate”.
down with progress!!!
NIMBY
Joe Johnson – Yes, I do think of people other than myself,
and I try to do what’s best for my community. Please provide data and explain
how this bypass is essential to the economies of Calais, Baileyville, or
Eastport. Bangorian – Please provide data and explain how “the reality is that
the road will be good for the region.” I have not seen anything yet to convince
me that it will be good for the citizens of this area. In fact, the DEIS states
that diversion and reduction of traffic from an area will have a negative
effect on retail sales, eating and drinking places, and service stations –
which is exactly what we have for small businesses along Rt. 9 in Eddington and
Brewer. Here are some of the points I made last night: 1) The complete lack of
public involvement over the last few years, which goes directly against the
MDOT’s own Public Involvement Plan guidelines document. 2) This route has been
removed a number of times in the past, by the PAC and the MDOT, and it does not
meet the original study criteria: “To improve regional system linkage, an
alternative must provide a limited‐access connection between I‐395 and Route 9
east of Route 46. Alternatives that do not provide a limited access connection
to Route 9 east of Route 46 would not provide a substantial improvement in
regional mobility and connectivity and would negatively affect local access.
Alternatives that would connect to Route 9 west of Route 46 would severely
impact local communities along Route 9 between proposed alternative connection
points and Route 46.” What changed, when, decided by whom? 3) Traffic data
being used in the study is from before the economic downturn of 2008. Newer
data should be incorporated in order to determine if the design study year,
design of the highway itself, location, etc are still appropriate. 4) Safety –
what is the cost of a Maine life? Priceless, I would say, and certainly worth
whatever price to install a barrier to divide the two lanes of highway traffic.
5) Future maintenance costs. We already cannot adequately maintain the
infrastructure we have. Thank you for reading.
Easy to condemn a landowner’s upset with inconsiderate plans to wreck their homestead and the surrounding environment.
Most of the “Yeas” for this ill-conceived and almost hidden state scenario to help Canada, have nothing to lose.
Property owners , especially those relying on transit for their small businesses have everything to lose. The proposals provide nothing more than a quicker route for Canadians to transport their goods to the markets.
The same holds true for an extremely ill – conceived and reincarnated East-West Le Page-Vigue Autobahn, that will gut Central and Western Maine. This badly proposed Eddington-Brewer diversion does virtually the same.
Ignore these tepid and lame snips at your objections. Stand firm. Your opposition was excellently presented. We need more Americans willing to rip the blinders off these stealth operations sneakily forced on citizens by the Le Page regime.
Augusta sleeps.
how will this road improve bailyville calais and eastport? easy by shaving at least 10 minutes of trucking time. last i checked fuel cost a lot of money these days and a little bit of savings goes along way. As for the loss of retail eddington There would probably be more retail in downtown bangor and brewer if theres less trucks driving down there and Eddington doesnt really need an economy. people can live in eddington and work in bangor,brewer, orono, or oldtown. people who live in calais, bailyville and eastport cant just work in the next town over if theres no much work there.
What businesses are going into Calais, Baileyville, Eastport? Even if the rt 9 connector is put in shipping is still the best choice for Eastport since they are a deep port. Why are they talking about spending the money to build this connector in ANTICIPATION of businesses coming in, when in reality it probably won’t happen. It’s to far off the beaten path and they (the people in WaCo) fight any industry that wants to come in (look at the LNG talks that have been going on 10 + years with nothing happening). The only industry they WANT is a casino and the rest of the state won’t let them have that. Do you really think 10 minutes of trucking time will encourage business. NOPE. Gas prices are up but 10-15 miles will not make a difference. It’s the Canadians who are already traveling route 9 who want this to make it easier for them.
How would you like it if the state took your land, home, business for no reason? The people who put their money and lives into the small stores on Rt. 9 might disagree there and that is their livelihood. Downtown Bangor and Brewer already are well established, if you have ever gone downtown Bangor you’d know you can rarely find parking. Trucks do not hinder the retail there and This will NOT help WaCo. The people there want what they know. They want the mill and nothing else. When new businesses pop up they go out within 5 years.
I would feel bad for those store owners along route 9. I travel the road alot, and stop at the stores. But really- how many are there? Not enough to stall this development any longer.
The fact that a few people spoke out against the project does’t mean that everyone in Eddington is not in favor of it. Some of those that spoke don’t even live near where the highway will be built. I think that over all in the long run it will be beneficial to the town.
The State is more interested in hugging trees than its own people. The originally approved route satisfided everyone. So what does the State do but change without notice and turn it into a fiasco. MDOT doesnt care about you they dont think your smart enough to know the difference.
MDOT says they are doing everything in the best interest of the people of Maine. Right now they are planning to reconfigure an intersection in Trenton that they deem is dangerous. Yet they continue to overlook a much more dangerous intersection closer to Ellsworth. The intersection, in the area what the locals call “the cheesehouse,” with the Joradn River Road is many time smore dangerous the the one they are changing. All that is need here is a traffic light, but nothing has ever been done. So dont be hoping they know whats best in the this connector either.
Canadian truckers. They will destroy the heart of Maine.
I live right on Route 9 in a location where this would reduce truck traffic past my house. And I would gain some from a new connector. But I am 100% against this connector as it stands! It makes no sence to me. Other than someone wants to build a road no matter what! Just so they can build a road and spend some money. It seems odd to me that the new route nearly parallels route 9. They say it will save time and fuel and help other towns. I say this is mumbo jumbo. A couple mile long road wholy within a community or two will have very little impact on the other towns! People say this will help the local logging trucks. I say hog wash. The majority of the trucks that goes by my house is out of Canada. And I would wager it’s 15 or even 20 to 1 (or more) Canadian trucks vs. local loggers! And I also say it’s hog wash about how much the connector will actually save the trucking compnaies As the distance traveled will only be slightly shorter. What I think they want is to keep going 40 to 45mph instead of slowing down going through Brewer. I bet the actual savings to the truckers is less than 1 gallon of fuel if that. We are going to spend millions on building, and kick people out of their homes, just so a bunch of foreign trucks can save $4 if that!
For me personally the connector would lessen the traffic noise but not eliminate it as trucks would still go by. I would have an easier trip if I were to go to Lowes. But I am still against this connector. It to me is a huge waste of tax money! If it were to have a straighter line running from 395 to say just the city side of Davis Pond. Maybe it would be worth it. But for it to parallel route 9 just a mile or so over. Thats just a waste of money! And the way they are showing how it actually connects to Route 9, to me seems dangerous. And may even increase accidents in the area!
Of course the best route would be through natural areas. But it could be done and not hurt the environment. It would cost more to do, and take longer to build. But you would also have larger time savings for users, larger fuel savings, fewer families displaced, and be beneficial to more people. That additional cost would be worth it. And yet they discarded it for this “new” plan that barely meets 1 of the original goals, let alone the majority of the goals in the first place. I believe this plan is so bad in its design, it’s really just a way to get tax money to someone with connections!