To the Editor,
First some corrections from my last editorial: Minutes from the ZPD Subcommittee should be dated
Oct. 3, 2018. Plus, I did find some significant changes in the application – they increased the
number of bays to 63 versus the original application for 40, which will increase truck trips by
another 30 percent. There is also a claim in the section on truck traffic increases saying Westfield
told the applicant there was no other development occurring to further impact traffic in Westfield.
I find this odd considering the effort being made to bring in James Hardy Industries on Industrial
Turnpike Way, another distribution company sending a lot trucks onto Westfield’s streets.
It seems Westfield has a portfolio balancing problem. Westfield has designated itself as a “Logistics
Center” catering to big trucks at the expense of other types of businesses. But is it the best
direction for Westfield and are city leaders doing what Westfield residents want?
According to 2018 Westfield’s Open Space and Recreation Plan, Westfield resident’s top two
priorities are 1) An Abundant & Safe Drinking Water Supply and 2) Large, Protected, and Connected
blocks of Open Space. How does clear cutting a beautiful wooded lot to create another paved over
truck terminal, supposedly not on top of the Aquifer, but certainly adjacent to it, help us achieve
these goals? And yes – why don’t town’s planners work to repurpose the abandoned Yellow Freight
terminal. It’s on the other side of Route 10 from Medeiros Way so its’ just as accessible, and we
don’t have to destroy woods in Westfield to build it.
More reasons for NO MORE TRUCKS: 1) trucking companies boom during good times but hit hard
during recessions. What happens during the next recession when these companies close up or fail?
Wouldn’t it be better to pursue a variety of business to decrease our risk of being left with empty
brownfields? 2) Trucks are wrecking Westfield’s roads and bridges costing millions. Since we won’t
enforce truck routes on the state roads, Westfield ends up paying all road maintenance, which
should be balanced against any property tax gains. 3) we must protect the aquifer and preserve
open space. The location of this new truck terminal is recklessly located between two wings of the
aquifer – so it appears “safe” to build there. But with increased rainfall, water will overflow onto
neighboring properties over the aquifer, down Medieros Way and into Brick Yard Brook – all over
the aquifer.
It seems to me if Westfield’s City leaders cared about Westfield and its citizens, they wouldn’t push
for more trucking companies, but work to attract greener businesses. I hope Westfield citizens will
tell the City Council they don’t want any more Trucks in our City – it’s not NIMBY it’s NIMCITY. We
need a crowd to come out for the Public Hearing this Thursday June 20th, at 7:00 pm at the Town
Hall to speak up and let our City Councilors know – NO MORE TRUCKS.
Connie Adams
