Intersection Of Alternatives

Intersection of Sunderland and Montague Roads just before North Amherst Library

Option D

So it looks like Option D will be the chosen one out of four possible proposals for the funky intersection of Sunderland and Montague Roads less than a field goal kick from the intersection of Pine/Meadow/North Pleasant Streets in the heart of North Amherst center.

Last night the Public Works Committee joined the Planning Board and Transportation Task Force in signaling their "preponderance of approval" for Option D, which terminates the final length of Sunderland Road running past the North Amherst Library and turns it into green space contiguous with the town owned playing field.

Montague Road, which is a state road, and Sunderland Road will both remain two way and the intersection behind the library may get a traffic signal or could simply become a four way stop. 

The three influential committees did not take a formal vote as they all wish to wait for more public input at the December 8th public hearing which is a follow up to the June 24th well attended hearing.

DPW Chief Guilford Mooring also told the Public Works Committee last night the $500,000 renovation of the traffic control signals at Pine/Meadow/North Pleasant was turned down by the state for a MassWorks grant so they are coming up with a make due method costing around $200,000 which could happen next year.

Sign, Sign Everywhere A Sign

New design for "wayfinding" signs highlights the town's terrific name front and center

Let's hope the Amherst College students calling for the termination of Lord Jeff as their unofficial mascot don't come picket the Amherst Select Board Monday night where they will be receiving a report about the new improved "wayfinding" signs for the downtown.

 Amherst Planning Board

Jonathan Tucker told the Planning Board last night "The brand itself is the name of the town, and not a historic building or image." 

Although in the background is the unmistakable outline of historic Town Hall and the Holyoke Mountain Range, which of course does not tower over Main Street.

Amherst College is wicked quick to point out they are named after the town rather than Lord Jeff, although the Lord Jeff Inn -- owned by Amherst College -- is kind of another story.

 Lord Jeffery Inn, name after you know who

And yes there has been talk -- more like muttering -- about changing the name of our town because Lord Jeff may have been a tad too zealous trying to exterminate the enemy who was trying to exterminate his people. 

'Twas hard to do the business of war in the pre Geneva Convention era.

The Planning Board signalled their unanimous approval for the design when all five raised their hands (two positions on the board are currently unfilled and two members were absent) although Chair David Webber did not call it a formal vote.

I guess the only thing I would change is to add a strike through to the H in AMHERST.  Or put a blanket over it.

Nothing To Ho Ho Ho About

What kind of message will SantaCon drunk Santas in the downtown send our children?

You would think after the downtown bar promotion that forever changed the way Amherst views St. Patrick's Day -- and dare I even breath its name? -- our illustrious downtown dens of debauchery would give up on pernicious promotions ... period!

But Nooooooo, and now they are after the most blessed holiday of all, Christmas. Where, Only In Amherst, is it celebrated with a Merry Maple tree on the town common.

Click to enlarge/read

Rather than coinciding with the last day before Spring Break for a Blowout this Christmas promotion coincides with the last day of classes, which is celebratory enough as it is.

Let's hope the Grinch has a chat with "Event Mavericks."  Soon.

UPDATE: Saturday morning
Now that the Gazette has, finally, caught up with this story it will be interesting to see if it actually happens or not. Especially since the promoter's own former place of employment -- Club Lit -- has pulled out.

Get Your Goat

#goatsofthemilldistrict

It's not all necessarily bad stuff Amherst police have to deal with on a day-to-day basis.

Although it does provide for comic relief, the freedom loving herd of goats out on Sunderland Road in North Amherst do tend to pull a Houdini a tad too often.  Like around noon today for instance:

 Police officer and farmer chase the goats back home

And since they always seem to  head for the green pasture adjacent to busy Rt 116, it will be a sad day in Amherst should they ever get hit by a car.

Aerial drone video of our freedom loving goats

Meanwhile Hadley police late this afternoon managed to capture and return an escaped horse to his barn after a scary run down Middle Street (Rt 47) headed towards ultra busy Rt 9.

Lunch Time Warriors

Marching students pause to pose in front of Student Union

Why is it protests at UMass always seem to start at high noon an end pretty much by 2:00 PM?

At least the one at Amherst College went on for a few days and actually occupied a building (Frost Library) with students of color pulling a good old fashioned sit in. Of course that ended recently and a month from now pretty much everyone will forget what it was over in the first place.

The UMass protest this afternoon was well organized, although the followers could have used enunciation lessons as they marched to the Student Union, as it was hard to understand what they were chanting.

And then when they did get to Whitmore Administration building the chanting was more understandable but did not really give a clue about what they were protesting.

 Protesters form a circle at entrance to Whitmore Administration Building

So whatever they were protesting, the assistant Chancellor promised to get back to them by Friday with an emailed response.

Polite Whitmore employee holding the door open for protesters

Otherwise the black lady with a bull horn said she'd be back.

Forest For The Trees

 36-38 South East Street (Fort River School behind)

The Amherst Planning Board and Tree Warden Alan Snow will hold a joint "Scenic Roads" hearing tonight to decide the fate of four trees on South East Street, which is of course a "scenic road."

Click to enlarge/read

The owners of the rental property at 36-38 South East Street need to reconfigure their parking lot to keep within the Rental Permit Bylaw regulations and there's pretty much nowhere to go with the pavement other than that piece of paradise.

Three of the four trees are nothing to write home about, but one of them is healthy and scenic and therefor worth saving.

And the rule is if you can't save the tree worth saving then you will most likely have to pay the town a replacement cost of $90 per inch. Which adds up with mature trees. In this case 18 inches or $1,620.

Obviously the canopy and shade created by one mature 18" tree is probably greater than that provided by nine immature 2" trees (which the town will use to replace it).

Back in July, 2013 the Planning Board overruled the Tree Warden and voted to allow the owners of a house on the other end of South East Street,  #666,  to remove ten trees for a new driveway entrance.

But because Mr. Snow did not back down on the "replacement costs" totaling $6,000 the owners decided not to go the clear cut route and today the trees are still part of the scenic byway.

Our Other Problem

Those who chase the dragon get burned

Last week the Amherst Select Board, acting as liquor commissioners, spent two hours in heated public discussion weighing the problems caused by alcohol in our little college town.

They were trying to decide if a well run small business on the outskirts of downtown should have one of many beer/wine permits still available.

 Amherst Center Store located across street from Kendrick Place near UMass

Neighbors were nothing if not united in opposition citing student rowdiness, and the closeness of Amherst Center Store to both the UMass campus and of course the new controversial Kendrick Place apartments which they claim is overly populated by students.

The Select Board narrowly approved the liquor license by a 3-2 vote.

Heroin is of course an illegal drug, and unlike marijuana it will always stay that way.  For good reason.  It is killing our citizens -- especially our youth -- at an unprecedented rate.  More than 1,000 heroin/opioid deaths last year in the progressive state of Massachusetts.

AFD Runs Mid November

I hope the three heroin overdoses over a very short period of time AFD and APD had to deal with Sunday night serve as a wake up call.

Before it's too late.