No more complaints

I remember writing a ranting, raving, thoroughly frustrated editorial back during the Suburban News days about the dangers of driving along Route 302 from the Westbrook line up to the rotary in Windham. I remember comparing the deep grooves and potholes on the right half of the travel lane and the oncoming cars on the left as a sort of Scylla and Charibdis where your car would need new shocks if you tried hugging the right and you’d face imminent death by oncoming traffic if you tried hugging the yellow line.

Now, I’m very happy to say, those days are behind us. Just another road to the casual tourist, those of us who know its evil past can now appreciate driving down Route 302, freshly paved and widened as it is, as a truly gratifying experience. Thanks to the Maine Department of Transportation and the good taxpayers of this state, motorists can rest assured that their drive time is smoother, safer and quicker. And we love those turning lanes. No more stopping in the middle of a highway for someone to turn left!

The project just goes to show that patience is a virtue. When the work started a few years ago, September 2005 seemed an eternity away. But here we are, and here’s our new road. A promise has been fulfilled.

All has not been rosy on that road during the past few years, however. There are casualties. Some businesses along that stretch have lost income from a lack of traffic. Some have folded. This newspaper wrote several stories concerning this loss of revenue. Those days are happily over, as well. Please visit these businesses if you have a chance. They’ll be glad you did.

Residents along the four-mile stretch of road are relieved, as well. No more noisy construction vehicles. No more smelly pavers. No more traffic jams blocking their driveways for hours at a time. Life is back to normal and improved for many. And if that doesn’t make you happy this momentous September 2005, nothing will.

Bag the bags

Sad to say, many people will have to pay more to throw their garbage out now in Windham. If you’re like me and grew up going to the dump with your father, you probably bristle each time you fork over what is now going to be more than $12 for five of the large garbage bags.

I understand the pay-per-bag system is a fee-based way to raise revenue. Users pay. It seems fair, but I just don’t agree that it’s better than distributing the burden evenly throughout the town.

These higher priced bags will also increase the amount of folks dumping illegally at local businesses or in local woods. Nighttime raids by otherwise good people on the many North Windham Dumpsters will surely result from the fee increase. Look for future stories in this newspaper about this topic. Give it a few months to simmer and I’m sure the Windham police log will overflow with illegal dumping entries.

So what should we do? Other than private companies padlocking their bins, Windham should get rid of the pay-per-bag system. A private hauler can come in and do a good job if everyone participated. It may not save any money, but who knows. Spreading out the burden would definitely save big families money. At a couple dollars a pop, these families’ bills for garbage disposal must be humongous over the course of the year. Single-person-households probably would pay more however since they generate less trash.

Pay-per-bag is not the same as turnpike fees. The Maine Turnpike is a fee-based system for paying for highway maintenance and repair. There are choices for those who care not to pay the 60 cents or $1.75 to use its wide, fast roads. We can use Route 202 or Route 1. Fewer cars means less road repair and a cost savings to the state. But everyone produces garbage, and there is no alternative but to pay the fee. We can’t burn garbage in a barrel in the backyard anymore. We can’t dump it in a backwoods trash pile. We have to pay for removal. And since we all have to pay, we should share it as a town, not as individuals.

By the way, if you see an illegal dumping in progress, please call the police. Let’s nab these low-lifes.

-John Balentine, editor