An open house for the turnpike exit study drew a crowd Monday to Blandford Town Hall. (Photo by Amy Porter)
BLANDFORD – MassDOT held a well-attended open house on the I-90 Interchange Study at Blandford Town Hall on Monday afternoon. The I-90 Interchange Study is a planning study that will evaluate the feasibility of adding an interchange on I-90 between the existing interchanges located in the Town of Lee and the City of Westfield (Exits 2 and 3, respectively).
Maps were laid out and posted on the wall for residents and other interested parties to study and also choose preferences for locations by applying stick-on dots. Comment boards were spread around the room, along with timelines of the process which is still in the feasibility stage with all options on the table, including possible locations, and whether or not to go forward.
Most of the conversation around the room started with whether people were for or against a new turnpike exit.
Blandford resident T. J. Cousineau points to his comments supporting an exit.
“Absolutely,” said Blandford resident T. J. Cousineau. “If we get high speed internet in the next year and a half, this will be the perfect community for commuting to Springfield, Chicopee, Holyoke and Westfield. All these communities would benefit,” he said.
Cousineau added that it will be good for the Gateway Regional School District, because more residents would mean more students in the district. On a more personal note, he said when the project goes into effect, “It will reduce my time going to the doctors in Springfield by 25 minutes to a half hour.”
Linda Smith of Blandford said she is also for a new turnpike exit. “It’s a great idea; the future of all the hilltowns. Without it, we’re a pass-through. I’d like us to be a destination,” she said, adding that an exit would allow the towns to be bedroom-communities for Springfield “and everywhere else.”
Jeffrey Penn of Huntington, who doesn’t like the idea of an exit, vollies with MassDOT project manager Cassandra Gascon.
On the other side, architect Jeffrey Penn of Huntington said the discussion was missing the most important point, not where to put the exit, but whether to add one at all.
“We hilltowners like the fact that we take a deep breath when we leave Westfield. We like our dark skies,” Penn said, alluding to the lack of street lamps and light pollution in many areas. “The best, most efficient solution is for Westfield and Northampton to fix their traffic,” he added.
MassDOT project manager Cassandra Gascon joined the conversation, informing Penn that all aspects will be studied, including whether a turnpike exit is necessary, as well as socio-economic impacts.
Penn said Blandford doesn’t have the infrastructure or zoning in place to handle the traffic. “We need to look at our existing infrastructure to make it work,” he said, adding, “We have to grow gradually and cautiously. It’s a really important issue. If it’s going to happen, it’s got to happen really carefully.”
Also present at the open house was Kate Phelon, Executive Director of the Greater Westfield Chamber of Commerce, also a member of the working group on the study.
“I think it’s awesome that they’re finally taking it under consideration. It will have a significant impact on Westfield’s interchange, hopefully in a positive way,” Phelon said. She said she is going to give the business members in the chamber an opportunity to comment on what impact an interchange would have on their employees, vendors and suppliers.
“I’m going to be sharing information as I get it with the businesses,” she said.
Rep. William “Smitty” Pignatelli, who has been a leading force behind the study, was happy with the turnout at the open house on Monday.
Senator Donald F. Humason, who along with Rep. William “Smitty” Pignatelli pushed to pass the legislation authorizing the study, said he believes it is important. “Sometimes we have to make up for exclusions in the past. I don’t know the history of why there was such a huge gap,” Humason said. The 30 mile stretch in between Exits 2 and 3 is the longest in the Commonwealth.
Humason said he knows some people are worried about traffic and zoning. “I think those things can be controlled. That’s why Smitty and I put it in the budget, so we could get people’s opinions. It’s a fact-finding mission,” said the Senator.
Rep. Pignatelli was happy with the turnout at the open house “It’s amazing. This is what we wanted, community input and interest,” he said. Pignatelli said that now that there are no more tollbooths, a simple diamond shape exit with minimal impact on the environment is more realistic.
Pignatelli also said the study is only in the conceptual stage, and will produce a report in December on whether it makes economic sense, environmental sense, and whether it has community support.
Information about the study and documents from the first Working Group meeting can be found on the project website: www.mass.gov/massdot/i90study. Visitors to the website can also sign up for future meeting notices and project information.
