NDN Forest Ave/Buck Road through road proposal

NDN online 3.15.07

By Matt Sheley/Daily News staff

Extensive flooding recently in the Woolsey Road area has Middletown again considering another connection to the West Main Road neighborhood.

Heavy rains overwhelmed the lone entrance to Commodore Perry Village on March 2, forcing the Fire Department to ferry residents in and out of the area just north of Valley Road with a five-passenger pickup.

Town Administrator Gerald S. Kempen said it seems like a good idea to revisit a proposal to link Forest Avenue through the back of the subdivision via Buck Road.

Currently, an emergency-only road is planned as part of a new 55-and-older condominium development next door, but Kempen is recommending that the idea of turning it into a full street be the subject of a traffic study. The Town Council will consider that proposal at a meeting Monday night at 7 at Town Hall, 350 East Main Road.

"Right now, all that's planned for there is an emergency road for fire, police and ambulances," Kempen said. "If the town wants to make it a public road, we have to turn the graveled road into a paved one, and with the recent flooding and the large number of complaints we got, it just makes sense because these people didn't have another way in and out from their homes."

When there is heavy rain - and even some with modest showers - flooding has been a growing concern in town, particularly in areas along Bailey Brook and the Maidford River.

It's not unusual to see the banks overflow of both of the town's major inland waterways, causing spillage onto roadways and into basements, like the Woolsey Road situation.

Council President Paul M. Rodrigues has suggested the town consider cleaning out its brooks to help stimulate better stormwater flow. Kempen said the town has cleaned out portions of the brook with state permission, but not as thoroughly as the effort envisioned by Rodrigues.

The last time Middletown considered the idea seriously was in February 2003, but the projected $5 million price with new retention ponds and other features was deemed too expensive.

In August 2005, the Zoning Board of Review approved The Residences At Forest Commons project, a gated community for seniors next door to Forest Avenue School. As part of that approval, the developer agreed to pay half the cost of a traffic study, up to $3,000 per party.

The town granted an extension to the project last October at the request of the developer. Patrick O'N Hayes, the attorney representing the proposal, said the development still is being considered by the state Department of Environmental Management.

The plan, Hayes said, is to move forward with construction once the project has all the necessary permits and approvals. If the town decides it wants a traffic study, Hayes said that's something his clients are ready to do.

"The issue came about because the stream overflowed and is something we really have no control over," Kempen said. "With that being said, I think there are some real legitimate concerns from the neighbors, but it seems to make the most sense to get the data and have a study so we're not making a subjective judgment."


	Flooding leads Middletown to mull road project NDN online 3.15.07 By Matt Sheley/Daily News staff Extensive flooding recently in the Woolsey Road area has Middletown again considering another connection to the West Main Road neighborhood. Heavy rains overwhelmed the lone entrance to Commodore Perry Village on March 2, forcing the Fire Department to ferry residents in and out of the area just north of Valley Road with a five-passenger pickup. Town Administrator Gerald S. Kempen said it seems like a good idea to revisit a proposal to link Forest Avenue through the back of the subdivision via Buck Road. Currently, an emergency-only road is planned as part of a new 55-and-older condominium development next door, but Kempen is recommending that the idea of turning it into a full street be the subject of a traffic study. The Town Council will consider that proposal at a meeting Monday night at 7 at Town Hall, 350 East Main Road. "Right now, all that's planned for there is an emergency road for fire, police and ambulances," Kempen said. "If the town wants to make it a public road, we have to turn the graveled road into a paved one, and with the recent flooding and the large number of complaints we got, it just makes sense because these people didn't have another way in and out from their homes." When there is heavy rain - and even some with modest showers - flooding has been a growing concern in town, particularly in areas along Bailey Brook and the Maidford River. It's not unusual to see the banks overflow of both of the town's major inland waterways, causing spillage onto roadways and into basements, like the Woolsey Road situation. Council President Paul M. Rodrigues has suggested the town consider cleaning out its brooks to help stimulate better stormwater flow. Kempen said the town has cleaned out portions of the brook with state permission, but not as thoroughly as the effort envisioned by Rodrigues. The last time Middletown considered the idea seriously was in February 2003, but the projected $5 million price with new retention ponds and other features was deemed too expensive. In August 2005, the Zoning Board of Review approved The Residences At Forest Commons project, a gated community for seniors next door to Forest Avenue School. As part of that approval, the developer agreed to pay half the cost of a traffic study, up to $3,000 per party. The town granted an extension to the project last October at the request of the developer. Patrick O'N Hayes, the attorney representing the proposal, said the development still is being considered by the state Department of Environmental Management. The plan, Hayes said, is to move forward with construction once the project has all the necessary permits and approvals. If the town decides it wants a traffic study, Hayes said that's something his clients are ready to do. "The issue came about because the stream overflowed and is something we really have no control over," Kempen said. "With that being said, I think there are some real legitimate concerns from the neighbors, but it seems to make the most sense to get the data and have a study so we're not making a subjective judgment."