Concord Journal
Thursday, August 7, 2003

Letter: Massport's traffic claim incomplete

To the editor:

As we all know, the expansion of Hanscom Field is an issue both because of the noise and air pollution it creates in our skies and the additional traffic it creates on the historic Battle Road (Route 2A). If FedEx comes in, as it plans to within the next six months to one year, these problems will increase exponentially.

Massport would lead us to believe that Hanscom only contributes 4 percent to the rush hour traffic on the Battle Road and that the rest is mostly from office parks in and around the area. This is true only if you look at the one hour from 7:45 to 8:45 every weekday morning and from 5 to 6 every afternoon. Here's what's really happening:

If you examine the rate of increase, most of the other contributors to traffic on the Battle Road are growing at a fairly normal 2 to 3 percent per year. Hanscom traffic has been expanding at a rate of 20 percent per year. Traffic coming into and out of Hanscom has doubled over the last five years. So, while the 4 percent figure Massport touts now is true today, it will be a much higher number in just a few years. Massport, itself, projects a potential jump to 15 percent. Massport also projects that their operations at Hanscom will drive Route 2A traffic conditions into technical failure by 2005.

Also, anyone who commutes can tell you that rush hour lasts longer than one hour. If you look at the whole morning or afternoon congestion period of several hours, Hanscom contributes much more than 4 percent.

Imagine adding 28 18-wheel tractor trailer trips to an already congested Battle Road. We're bearing our fair share of the aviation load, as Hanscom is already the second busiest airport in New England. Let's fight FedEx and Massport so that the situation doesn't get far worse.

Susan Ryan
Laurel Street

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