As state removes debris, neighbors still angry

The Maine Department of Transportation started going back over its tracks along Interstate 295 in Freeport on Monday, cleaning up the remnants of clear-cutting it did this past spring that exposed large swaths of hillside across the fence from neighborhoods and angered those who live there.

The seeding of grass will follow to provide a buffer against the traffic noise in neighborhoods just south of exit 22, according to a department press release.

Crews will grind stumps and remove debris from the summer cuttings in the Elm Street neighborhood, extending north for about 4 miles. That work will leave a smooth surface for the plantings, the press release said.

Temporary shoulder and ramp closures could result when machinery is loaded on or off the highway during work hours, between 8 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

Neighbors, however, remain angry and doubt the work will mitigate the problems.

The state’s removal of brush and trees along I-295 resulted in a barrage of complaints from Freeport residents, who claimed that it was clear-cutting and that the town was given no notice of the action. The agency maintained that it was guarding against vehicles that leave the roadway striking large trees, preventing the accumulation of ice and snow on the road, improving sight distance and ensuring that trees or branches do not end up on the highway following a storm.

On June 16, Freeport residents aired their grievances on the clear-cutting during a Town Council workshop at the Freeport Community Library. People from the Elm Street neighborhood, facing the highway, and many others complained about the tree cuttings.

Dale Doughty, director of operations and maintenance for the Department of Transportation, said last Friday that the cleanup of the areas cut during the summer is standard practice.

“The goal is to make most of this mowable,” Doughty said. “We’ll finish by doing hydro-seeding, and as soon as the snow melts in the spring, the seeds will pop up.”

Doughty said he is working with the town to assist the residents most affected by the cuttings, near the fence that separates their land from state-owned property. Trees will not be planted on the highway side of the fence, he said.

“Our strong, strong preference is keeping (plantings) on their side of the fence,” Doughty said.

Doughty said that the work area will be marked with cones, and signs advising motorists to slow down, he said.

A short-term closure will occur on the Mallett Drive off ramp.

“I can’t imagine we’re going to close the ramp for very long,” Doughty said.

Scott Gleeson has been consulting with the Department of Transportation because he is the District 4 town councilor, and most of the neighborhoods affected by the cuttings – Elm, True and Kendall streets – are in his district. Gleeson was measured in his response to the cleanup effort.

“The notice they’ve given the town is more like what they should have done months ago,” Gleeson said. “I am happy they’re addressing solutions. Ultimately, it would be great if we had some of the trees back, but that’s not going to happen.”

Gleeson added that he continues to work with the department on a solution for the hardest-hit property owners.

Kathleen Meade, who lives in the Elm Street neighborhood on Guptill Street, said last Friday that she is not satisfied with the plan.

“It’s a response to people driving by who are complaining that there’s a mess,” Meade said. “It doesn’t do anything to address the noise and all the dirt.”

The planting of grass seed will do little good, Meade said.

“They’re just responding with optics,” she said. “They are not responding to neighborhood issues, except for appearances.”

The aftermath of clear-cutting last spring by the Department of Transportation was clearly visible off I-295’s exit 22, which leads to Mallett Drive.File photoThis past spring, Sebastian Meade, who lives just down the street, looks out across the fence at the clear-cutting talong Interstate 295. People in the Pine Street neighborhood say the lack of a tree buffer is causing sight and noise pollution.File photo