Overgrown vegetation grows where a house once stood on the north side of the present Route 57 near the Southwick / Agawam town line. The home was purchased and razed to make way for the expansion of Route 57. (File photo by Frederick Gore)
SOUTHWICK – Despite the state’s recent acknowledgement of a lack of interest in completing the Route 57 project, the Board of Selectmen this week said they want to send a reminder of the commitments made in the past.
“I would still like [to send a letter] with one or two sentences about the obligation and commitment made to these people,” said Board Chairman Russell Fox, who referred to homeowners who were forced out of their homes to make room for the project.
Last week Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) Richard Davey met with Senator Don Humason, Jr. (R-Westfield) and aides for Representative Nicholas Boldyga (R-Southwick) to discuss the dormant Route 57 expansion project.
A piece of land where a house once stood on the south side of Route 57 near the Southwick / Agawam town line is now overgrown with vegetation. The home was purchased and razed to make way for the Route 57 expansion project. (File photo by Frederick Gore)
Davey said that the state doesn’t have the revenue to finance the full extension of Route 57 right now, but “we fully understand the regional economic value this project has. With that in mind, we will explore whether there are any smaller, incremental steps we can possibly take in the meantime.”
In late January, Administrator of the MassDOT Highway Division Frank DePaola wrote in a letter to Western Massachusetts Electric Company (WMECO) that the state was “not interested” in the land any longer. WMECO owns much of the land and has been holding the property for the state, which promised to complete the Route 57 project decades ago and took homes along the path of the extension.
The present two-lane Route 57 highway at the Southwick / Agawam town line. (File photo by Frederick Gore)
In mid-January a meeting took place in Boston regarding the future of Route 57. The meeting with DePaola was attended by Agawam Mayor Richard Cohen and West Springfield Mayor Edward Sullivan, along with state Reps. Nicholas Boldyga and Michael Finn, and State Sen. Donald Humason’s chief of staff.
Humason was shocked when he heard about the letter because, he said, it was his understanding that DePaola indicated in the meeting that he knew nothing about the property use.
“The letter was written the day before that meeting,” said Humason.
Humason said he, Finn, Fox, Cohen, Sullivan, Boldyga and State Sen. James Welch penned a letter to Davey asking the state to make good on its promise to the towns and residents involved and complete the project.
“They may not have the money now, but another administration may in the future,” Humason said. “I’m not even sure the secretary or the governor were aware of this (letter).”
Humason said this was the first time there was any word from the state that it would not continue the project.
Last week, Davey said there were many factors still up in the air.
“We are at a major crossroads in the way we fund our transportation system,” Davey said. “The need for improvements will always be greater than the resources available.
“Working with our partners in the legislature, we are anticipating new revenues from a pending transportation bond bill that will help us fund a list of projects that we spent over two years prioritizing,” he said.
Boldyga has been critical of the handling of the situation by Beacon Hill.
“The big concern is that, when the land was initially preserved, a lot of people were bought out and had to vacate their homes, and there’s nothing worse than that,” said Boldyga, whose entire district is served by Route 57.
“It’s a travesty. Governor (Deval) Patrick and his administration have shown they have no interest in this and aren’t going to keep the promise. It’s sad.”
Davey did not say definitively that the project is dead nor alive. Selectmen said this week that it is very much alive for the residents of the area.
“I want them to honor their commitment,” said Fox.
