However attractive Stroudwater Place may be to many, it comes with costs and impacts that ought to be known beforehand, not come as a surprise later.

This development is huge, as are the impacts. Taxes generated by this development can be offset considerably by impact costs. Such costs and impacts can be reasonably predicted based on assuming the final buildout reflects the current proposal, even if it is somewhat vague.

Surely, the increased vehicular traffic on our streets will be a major impact felt by all. It’s no mystery how much traffic will be introduced on Westbrook’s streets by Stroudwater Place. Traffic engineering studies show that a 1.65 million square foot regional shopping center will generate over 41,000 vehicle trips a day (San Diego Land Development Code, Trip Generation Manual). For comparison, the Maine Department of Transportation 2007 daily traffic count for the Arterial at Forest Street is 19,920 trips a day. This one development will add the equivalent of two Arterials’ traffic to Westbrook’s already congested streets.

The developer’s preliminary report estimates that 65 percent of this traffic will flow from I-95. Even if so, that still means much more traffic on other streets, including William Clark Drive. The Maine Department of Transportation 2007 traffic count for William Clark Drive is 21,300 trips per day, making it one of the heaviest traveled streets in Cumberland County, and certainly one of the most dangerous, for cars as well as pedestrians. I cringe when I see a young mother pushing her child across that street.

The state’s traffic permitting process is intended to avoid congestion at the development site. It won’t save us from the consequences of inviting traffic that will further congest all our streets. The majority of Stroudwater Place customers will come to shop and go home to their communities, leaving Westbrook to deal with clogged streets, seven days a week.

Stroudwater Place will attract other businesses that will want to fill their parking lots, too. Look at the Maine Mall area. We know that traffic will continue to flow onto our streets from continued development in communities outside Westbrook, adding to congestion.

How much traffic can we bear? What improvements will be needed to make our streets safe for vehicles and pedestrians? What will be the budget impact on public works and other departments? An independent, comprehensive traffic study should be a requirement before approval of Stroudwater Place.

Carl Zeis

Westbrook