Final Environmental Impact Report - Whittier Bridge/I-95 ...

Revised 12/19/11
Town ofSalisbury's Comments on the
Environmental Assessment/Draft Environmental Impact Report
Whittier Bridge 1-95 Improvement Project
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The project proposal includes construction ofa Shared Use Path across the new Whittier
Bridge that would extend from the Route 113 Park and Ride in Newburyport to Route
110 in Salisbury. It would include connections to Ferry Road in Newburyport and to Old
Merrill Street in Amesbury.
The new Shared Use Path will be a wonderful enhancement to the alternative
transportation network in the Lower Merrimack Valley. It will provide a safe connection
across the Merrimack River and greatly facilitate bicycle and pedestrian access to the
Route 113 Park & Ride from Newburyport, Amesbury and Salisbury. It will also provide
safe and convenient access to Maudslay State Park from Amesbury and Salisbury.
However, the currently proposed design ofthe Shared Use Path falls short in two
important respects:
(1) it fails to provide a direct connection from the Shared Use Path to Main
StreetlEvans Place in Amesbury and the Amesbury Visitors Center, and
(2) it fails to provide a safe off-road connection between Salisbury and Amesbury
that would facilitate connecting Salisbury's Ghost Trail and Amesbury's
Riverwalk which are part ofthe Coastal Trails Network, a rapidly developing
30-mile alternative transportation network in the Lower Merrimack Valley.
(See enclosed Coastal Trails Network Map.)
These failures are in conflict with the USDOT Policy Statement on Bicycle and
Pedestrian Accommodations Regulations and Recommendations that requires MassDOT
to provide "safe, convenient and interconnected transportation networks." Further, the
proposed design does not meet the requirements ofthe Certificate issued by the Secretary
ofEnergy and Environmental Affairs on the Environmental Notification Form for the
project that required the Draft EIR to:
(1) "investigate the feasibility ofproviding additional bicycle path and pedestrian
connections" (EEA-16);
(2) "identify additional commitments to improved connections" (EEA-17); and
(3) "demonstrate ... how this project will advance public safety interests" (EEA­
21).
Main StreetlEvans Place Connection
On page 3-55 the Draft EIR identifies the Main StreetlEvans Place connection and the
Amesbury Visitors Center adjacent to 1-95 as one ofthe existing transportation and
recreation nodes to be connected to the·Shared Use Path, but the Draft EIR does not
contain any investigation ofthe feasibility ofmaking the connection either via a spiral
pedestrian ramp, a stairway or some other acceptable solution. Any ofthese alternatives
could easily be accomplished from municipally-owned property directly adjacent to the
Shared Use Path. This is a vital connection that would give convenient and safe
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