To the editor:

On Monday, March 7, a group of concerned members of our community once again took time out of our busy lives to listen to information presented by the town-hired architectural firm at the middle school abutters meeting.   

We again attended in order to state our concerns about the construction of a major entrance and egress from the new middle school on Lincoln Avenue. We citizens did our due diligence by once again providing constructive feedback, developing possible solutions to the challenges presented, and questioning the validity of the one-day traffic study data and whether a campus with so much pavement provides the best setting for students to learn. 

We citizens attended this meeting to collaborate with the town so that our concerns, feedback and ideas would be utilized to help drive changes to the current plan. 

As the presenters stated, the number one concern by neighbors at several meetings since this plan was first presented in September is the traffic volume on the densely-populated Lincoln Avenue. This concern was validated at the meeting by evidence and discussion that with the current plan traffic volume will likely be significantly increased as a result of most cars exiting the middle school property onto Lincoln Avenue after dropping off their students.  

However, it was with great disappointment and frustration that we citizens left the meeting with the understanding that our long-standing and frequently communicated concerns about the volume of traffic on Lincoln Avenue are going to be ignored. 

In addition, and unbelievably, at this meeting it was announced that tennis and basketball courts will be relocated to the Lincoln Avenue boundary of the property, furthering neighbors’ concerns about traffic and congestion on Lincoln Avenue, as well as raising concerns about bright lighting at night and garbage for many close-by neighbors.  

This makes no sense, and is further evidence of the complete lack of regard for the concerns of abutters who have been participating in this process since the outset! Why should the busiest part of the property be located on the most densely-populated boundary of this land? 

If our town is going to be asked to spend $80 million on the construction of a new middle school, then the town should collaborate with all citizens in order to creatively develop a plan that will be beneficial to all community members.  

Why seek input from the community if our ideas, concerns and feedback are not going to be used in a meaningful way to make this plan be the best it can be for our entire community?      

Amy Herlihy

Barrington