In its’ 50 year struggle to build a new byoass, Concord has redrawn its plans in order to decrease the impact to wetlands. NHPR’s Dan Gorenstein has more.
In its’ 50 year struggle to build a new byoass, Concord has redrawn its plans in order to decrease the impact to wetlands. NHPR’s Dan Gorenstein has more.
The Department of Environmental Serives has not yet denied Concord the permit it needs to build the bypass. But observers believe the denial was coming. So Concord has adjusted its plans. It offered to shift a 1500 ft stretch of road 100 ft. to the north.
But realignment means the road would run 2 feet from the Hillside View Condominiums back parking lot. Owner of the property Bob Hamilton, was quoted in the Concord Monitor as saying the move would degrade the quality of life to 24 families who live nearby.
Leslie Ludtke, a firm opponent of any plans for the new road, described the city’s four-volume submission to the DES file as massive. With only 30 days to respond, she questions how effectively interested parties can wade through the additional information. And she says the city’s plan brings up new issues.
12:50 the new filing by the city has new purposes that we hadn’t heard much about before. One of the purposes we now hear about is pedestrian safety around Concord High School.
Ludtke charges that pedestrian safety at the high school was never an issue before last week. And in her opinion, each time the statement of purpose for the project changes, the analysis for the project must change and should result in a new application process for Concord.
11:36 one of the most important pieces of information in any application is what is the purpose of the application, what do you want to accomplish by the work that is being done. This gives the state an opportunity to balance the public need and benefit against the damage to the wetlands.
Other than the two modifications, the attorney representing Concord, Tuper Kinder, says the scope of the project hasn’t changed.
5:33 The purpose of the city in making this filing, is trying to organize the amount of information that is available. It is extensive. But most of these studies are not new. And they have consistently looked at what the benefits of the construction of the highway would have on the area.
Kinder also disputes road opponents who say the city has not properly studied the need for the road, or its impact on traffic. He maintains the project accomplishes two important needs for Concord, improved access for the hospital, and increased pedestrian safety.
In the wetlands permitting process DES considers a number of questions, among them, ‘what is the need for the project?’ Ken Kettering of DES says the department tries to asses if a project’s need can be met in less damaging ways. Kettering says it is too early to determine if the new information will warrant a new public hearing.
4:01 Within 30 days, people should be able to tell us this is too much of a change to go without a public hearing, if that is what they feel, or that if there is only limited changes, they be able to address that.
DES will continue to accept public comments on the Northwest Bypass until the middle of October. For NHPR News, I’m DG
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