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

Neil J. Harrington
Town Manager
Town ofSalisbury
5 Beach Road
Salisbury, Massachusetts 01952
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December 23, 2011
RECEiVED
Secretary Richard K. Sullivan, Jr.
Executive Office ofEnergy & Environmental Affairs
Attn: MEPA Office
Purvi Patel, MEMA Analyst, EEA No. 14427
100 Cambridge Street, Suite 900
Boston, MA 02114
DEC 2 7 Z(}!1
J\I1EPA
Re: Whittier BridgelI-95 Improvement Project - Newburyport, Amesbury, Salisbury
Environmental Assessment/Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR.)
Dear Secretary Sullivan:
The Town ofSalisbury is a strong supporter ofthe Whittier BridgelI-95 Improvement Project
("the Project") and has been an active participant in several months worth of meetings of the
Whittier Working Group, which includes representation from the local communities of
Salisbury, Newburyport and Amesbury, as well as officials from MassDOT and the Project
Manager, Parsons Brinkerhoff: and the Merrimack Valley Planning Commission.
The Town understands that a project of this scope and complexity involves stakeholders
representing several constituencies from multiple communities, and that the environmental
impacts need to be carefully identified and mitigated in a variety ofways. We are hopeful that
our comments will be given careful consideration prior to the issuance ofa Final Environmental
Impact Report (FEIR) and the granting ofa MEPA Certificate.
The Town of Salisbury's comments on the Environmental Assessment/Draft Environmental
Impact Report (EA/DEIR) for the Project revolve primarily around two areas of concern: (a)
storm water drainage and (b) the shared-use path.
a) Storm water drainage
The Town's primary concern involves the potential impact ofthe Project on storm water
drainage on or near the intersection of1-95 and Route 110 (Elm Street) in Salisbury. We
strongly believe that drainage calculations for storm water runoff in this area need to be
verified so that this run off does not undermine existing roadway infrastructure and
negatively affect the business community along Rte. 110. In addition, we are concerned
about the effects ofthis untreated run offon the quality ofwater in the Merrimack River.
(978) 465-2310 Fax: (978) 462-4176 a-mail: nharrington@salisburyma.gov