We, the undersigned writing to express our concern about plans for replacement of the Waite Street bridge over Lake Whitney.
We know that this bridge project has been in the works for the past ten years, and understand that completion of the bridge has become a
priority on the town and state level and is suddenly moving forward
quickly.
We are very surprised that a project of such magnitude with the potential
for irreversible impact on the environment, the immediate neighborhood,
and the community at large is being moved forward without sufficient
opportunity for public comment. The last public hearing on this project
was over two years ago, and in the interim the community was informed
that the project had been halted due to loss of funding.
We strongly oppose construction of a bridge of this scale over
Lake Whitney on Waite Street. The current design will open the
Waite Street area to heavy trucks, thus transforming Waite Street
into a major through street inevitably leading to increased traffic.
The Waite Street corridor along Lake Whitney is a unique and
vulnerable environment offering peaceful natural beauty which is
enjoyed by the whole community. The increased traffic and
heavy trucks will surely have irreversible negative consequences,
endangering the wildlife and the quality of life in Hamden and
neighboring communities.
We demand that city hall immediately halt any progress on this project and convene a town hall meeting. A public forum will create a platform
for citizens and town officials to come together to discuss concerns and
explore more environmentally sound and community friendly alternatives.
