Possibly making it easier for Dartmouth students to scoot between JCPenney and Kmart, the Lebanon City Council voted in favor of an Interstate 89 underpass last Wednesday, a decision that could result in a 20 percent traffic reduction on Route 12A.
The resolution supports the construction of a tunnel that will connect the Upper Valley Plaza, home to JCPenney, with the nearby plaza that features Kmart. The construction could start in 2007 and accommodate more left and right hand turn lanes to facilitate better traffic flow.
"There's been a longstanding problem due to all the shopping development on 12A," said City Manager Mike Farrell. "Right now at peak times you're talking about 5,000 cars on that road an hour. It's significant."
The underpass, which the Department of Transportation will pay for, is part of a ten-year plan proposed by that department to solve the traffic congestion problems that plague West Lebanon.
The Council decided to table a more controversial proposal to build a "loop road" that would use existing pavement to provide an alternative access route to both shopping plazas and the highway, a project that troubles environmentalists.
The Connecticut River Joint Commission, an advisory board comprised of Connecticut and New Hampshire residents, considers environmental issues related to the Connecticut River. The commission has expressed concern that additional traffic from the loop road would increase the erosion around the riverbank, in addition to raising the flow of pollution into the river.
However, Farrell did not feel the loop would significantly increase the damage already occurring in the area.
"All the drainage from 12A goes into the river anyway, so you're not going to change the number of cars polluting the river," he said.
The construction of the loop road hinges on the choice of location for the Upper Valley Plaza side of the underpass, Farrell said. The owners of the JCPenney, who have authority over the land, would prefer for the underpass to end in front of their building.
However, police and fire departments may advocate for the underpass to be built in the back of the building in order to prevent dangers to pedestrians.
"If the underpass is in the front, the city council doesn't feel the loop will be as effective," said Farrell. "My guess is it will go in front of JCPenney but there has not been a final decision."
Regardless of the outcome of the loop issue, some feel that the underpass is merely a temporary solution to an ongoing problem caused by the boom in development in the West Lebanon area.
"My broader concern is that we're not eliminating any of the traffic problems and at the same time we may be aggravating the situation by making it more convenient for people to come [to West Lebanon]," said City Councilor Karen Liot Hill. "I'm really interested in sustainable solutions, not quick-fixes."
Hill abstained from the voting because, as a recently-elected official, she did not feel she was fully informed on the issue.
The Council plans to revisit the issue of the loop and the exact location for the underpass during meetings next Wednesday and in May in order to accommodate a June 1 deadline set by the Department of Transportation.
