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Date: 6/27/2022
WARE – The Ware Select Board met to discuss a variety of agenda items including the controversial installment of new National Grid/Verizon poles.
The board has discussed and tabled this topic at many previous meetings due to a lack of solid information. Many residents have come to the meetings to voice their disapproval of the proposed pole installations on Coffey Hill Road, Sherman Road, Sczygiel Road and Webster Road.
One resident attended the meeting to emphasize that she wants to keep her property as pristine as possible and will not sign any deal or accept money for an easement from National Grid to have a pole placed on her land.
A representative from National Grid said that this means they will have to change their building plans. Without approval from residents and the Select Board, they would not be able to build the lines the way they originally proposed.
The spokesperson said that there is an alternative, but it would be quite costly. However, he said that at this point it seems to be the “only alternative.”
This alternative would be installing fiberglass poles. He said they would need to table this discussion and National Grid would need to get more clarification and redesign plans.
In the end, the Select Board and the National Grid representative decided to dismiss this plan altogether. They plan to resubmit to the board after their redesign.
The board also received a presentation on the West Street Corridor Study. This study was done to address traffic operations and consider a buildout analysis for the corridor.
One company came in and analyzed traffic and land use at the corridor to make recommendations. They found that there has been an increase in crashes at this location over the year, speed signs are not clear, pedestrian access is lacking and the ADA compliance is poor.
Ultimately, the company said that water, sanitary and sewer systems would need full replacements. They also recommended that pedestrian, bike and transit paths be updated and reworked.
Reconstruction of this area would require community support, might be messy early on and would take time.
The company said their next steps would be to receive any comments and feedback from the community and board and then finalize memos.
Those interested in viewing the Ware Select Board meeting in its entirety are encouraged to visit the WareTV page.