Brunswick Town Council passed the two-way conversion of Pleasant Street (at a $4 million premium) without a plan. Yet we couldn’t approve consultant-planned brick sidewalks that would have cost $1 million more than the concrete alternative now being built due to cost. In the town’s haste to capture those extra dollars, we have signed up for congestion and chaos on the prime way for people to enter our town — without even having a plan.

In the 2022 meetings, it was discussed that the Cushing and Union intersections would not be workable without left turn lanes. At the 2022 public hearing, a resident questioned the project consultant: “… it just does not seem that intersection (Union) can work without left turn lanes.” The consultant replied: “I do not disagree … left turn lanes at that intersection should be part of future study if the project moves on.”

The concern for pedestrian and bicycle safety on Pleasant is valid but there are other ways to “calm” traffic. With this “plan,” we will slow down traffic; most likely to a standstill. There will be no place to park or no place for bikes (80 parking spots = a bike lane) make a choice. Pleasant Street is busy every day of the week, funneling people out of town and Sunday will be busy when church traffic will become hell.

I commend the councilors for their marathon session, but I do not commend them for their short-sighted grab for money over town livability.

Lynne Holland
Brunswick