A group of Selkirk residents appeared at Town Hall, submitted a petition with 440 signatures and stood in solidarity against a proposed Selkirk Bypass at the Wednesday, Aug. 27, Town Board meeting.
The group’s message was clear, borrowing from the recent speech of Sen. Hillary Clinton at the Democratic National Convention in Denver, Selkirk resident Lisa Evans told the board, No way, no how, no bypass.
The town is looking to divert truck traffic from River Road and Creble Road, and away from residential neighborhoods; and one proposal calls for a so-called Selkirk Bypass with possible new interchange to the New York State Thruway.
However, local residents do not want to see current green space converted into roadway, and one resident even pleaded with the board to complete the town’s Comprehensive Open Space Plan before initiating a bypass project.
`We understand the 9W Corridor Study Committee plans to vote for the ‘preferred route’ for a so-called Selkirk Bypass (more recently named the Creble Road Ext.), extending from Creble Road, through the Weisheit and Clapper Road communities at a new Thruway exchange, and ending at Route 144 near the Job Corps,` Evans read from a prepared statement to the board.
`We sensed strong opposition to this project in the community. Accordingly, we circulated a petition, which concludes, ‘We do not want a Selkirk bypass anywhere. Please use the money for something productive, such as improving current state routes,’` Evans said. `As of the date of this letter, 440 members of the Bethlehem community, the majority live in the Selkirk area, have signed the petition.`
Supervisor Jack Cunningham cordially accepted the petition, saying he frequently talks with Evans about the situation and assured the crowd no permanent action has been taken by the town regarding a bypass solution.
Cunningham said although it is a `preferred route,` the town is currently looking at existing infrastructure as a potential solution.
Councilman Kyle Kotary thanked Evans for her comments and reiterated Cunningham’s comments.
`We are looking at one of the options on how to avoid a route that goes through a lot of green space and potential preservation land,` Kotary told Evans. `I wanted you to know my personal commitment to looking at all of those options.`
Kotary said the town is always looking for ways to protect and preserve green space, but that they `have a ways to go.`
`On behalf of the people who signed the petition we urge you not to approve this ‘preferred route’, and to rather consider the economic advantages of keeping the space green,` Evans said. `This is why the CACC Advisory Committee was created, and CACC has not been heard from. Most of those who signed the petition feel that there was never an open and fair process by which this route was selected as ‘preferred. The only sense in which this route was ‘preferred’ was by the planners.`
The petition was submitted by residents Anthony DeLuca; Stephen Downs; Lisa Evans; Eugene Hoffert; Appleton Mason III; Dawn Pratt; William Weisheit; Harry Wilbur; and Stephen Wiley, many of who were in attendance at the time.“