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June 22, 2000
Guy Baker, Division Engineer Dear Guy; At my request, Tracy Lord, Supervisor for the Shirley Garage, provided me with a copy of the drainage report and list of recommendations for the Lily Bay Road in Greenville known locally as “Blair Hill”. The report written by John Chisholm of the MDOT does an excellent job of outlining what is causing the severe flooding and erosion in the area, and the best physical solutions for this section of road. The attached photos serve to underscore the severity of this flooding problem on this Major Collector road so close to Greenville's residential area and also to Moosehead Lake. I write to you to ask that Mr. Chisholm's warning regarding the ineffectiveness of mere maintenance procedures to alleviate this project not be made in vain. It is very clear to me that this problem will worsen each and every year, and that the final cost to correct the problem will therefore become more and more expensive as more and more of the roadway is compromised. I realize implementation of these recommendations is a very expensive proposition. However, inaction or even limited corrective action by your maintenance division will only allow the problem to worsen, erode more of your maintenance budget creating a potential for greater disrepair of other state roads in the Greenville area, and cost the state more money in the long run. There are many Major Collectors in need of repair in the State of Maine, and many in Region #3. No others come to mind which have as severe an annual erosion problem as Blair Hill: even the swamp which swallows up Route 7 in Dover-Foxcroft does not cause as much damage because the water is standing, not moving. I know the MDOT has prioritized Major and Minor Arterial roads which currently require weight limit posting in the spring of the year as a priority. Although I applaud and support this approach, I believe the safety hazard created by this annual washout is so significant that it merits consideration on at least the same level of priority as any of your Arterial roads in Region #3. Also, the cost of repair clicks upward with each and every heavy rain shower. I hope you will place emphasis on the recommendations of John Chisholm in finding the necessary funding to complete this project all at one time. The Town of Greenville is aware of the comments in Mr. Chisholm's report citing land-use issues uphill from the State's road which have exacerbated the existing problem. Our Planning Board has been supplied with a copy of this report, and will consider these effects when making future determinations. I hope the MDOT will work to find a way to fix this section of road in the next two Biennial Transportation Improvement Plans (BTIPs). Thank you. Sincerely; John Simko Enclosures |