In a unanimous vote, the selectmen on Monday, Feb. 27, turned back an effort to place a question about the Mass. Ave. project in East Arlington on the April town-election ballot.
Three selectmen were firm in their opposition. Board Chair Clarissa Rowe said two absent members, Kevin Greeley and Diane Mahon, echoed sentiments expressed by Dan Dunn, Annie LaCourt and her. In 2009, Mahon was the lone board vote against proceeding with the project.
The vote reflected the reality that the project is nearing public discussion of the 75-percent phase and that, as LaCourt said, the selectmen do not use public referendums for road projects.
Mark Kaepplein of Arlington made the request for a nonbinding ballot question to be on the April 10 ballot, asking the public whether they would like the four travel lanes on Mass. Ave. reduced to three or two travel lanes.
He called four travel lanes on the section in question, between Pond Lane and Alewife Brook Parkway, “a sacred cow.” Supporting him, he said, were a current petition with 10 registered voters and an older one signed by 3,000 in opposition to planned changes in the avenue.
Speaking in support of Kaepplein’s request were Cynthia Tollen and Eric Berger, who said the history of the project from 2002 to 2009 showed a lack of civic participation. He said that six public meetings were held in that period, attended by a total of 175 people. In the light of the changes proposed, he said, “hundreds of meetings” should have taken place.
Further, he said, 3,200 comments were sent to the state following the hearing last April. He said 94 percent of them opposed the project. “Don’t take away two travel lanes,” he said. “They are vital.”
Cottage Avenue resident Adam Auster spoke against a ballot question, saying pursuit of the Mass. Ave. project “was decided almost a year ago.” Threatening the project funding with a ballot question would break the trust of taxpayers and “be discriminatory to East Arlington,” he said.
Auster called public participation in the project “the best in the history of the state for a road.”
Chad Gibson also objected to a ballot question, calling the safety aims involved a personal issue.
Before declaring her opposition to a ballot question, LaCourt asked when the petition with 3,000 names was taken. Kaepplein said 2009 or ’10. Berger said 2008 or ’09 and perhaps ’10. A referendum was not needed, she said, because Arlington elects representatives to make decisions on such issues.
Dunn listed a number of points in support of his view, including the fact that Town Meeting and voted on the Mass. Ave. issue. He also said that the earlier petition was in reaction “to plans that don’t exist anymore.” He called the wording of the ballot question — four lanes vs. two lanes — “beyond oversimplification.”
Rowe said it is understandable that businesses are worried about the project, but that, as a landscape architect, she has the ability to envision how plans will play out. This effort, she said, is worth pursuing.
“You have an opportunity,” she told those favoring a ballot question. You can support candidates, she said, that would “change the face of this board.”
Rowe and LaCourt are not seeking reelection. Five are vying for those two seats. One of the candidates, Maria Romano, who has run twice before, has publicly questioned the Mass. Ave. project. The other candidates are not yet on the record about where they stand on it.
Related links to Mass. Ave. project:
Word on the Street, April 6, 2011: Design phases in process | April 13, 2011: 345 hear speakers for, against
Globe, Aug. 8, 2009: Eric Berger’s cause | E. Arlington Concerned Citizens (Part 2) | Livable Streets Coalition | Town project information
This story was first published Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2012. Correction: A name was corrected from Cohen to Tollen.
