Mr. Patterson, have you also reviewed the crime that has been taking place at our Mall and other stores from out of town criminals? Target, in Woburn, has also seen much of it. One only needs to read the police reports in the local newspapers.
Let's face it, we have a perfect area for grab and run. The highway is close by, and making it easier to get to by widening the area will be only enhance the situation.
We do not need a Target, nor any other big retail store. The "Canyon site" should go back to our town and kept as is ! Just my opinion, but why make matters worse here?
I'm sorry for you that you have to travel out of your way to get to your office, but widening the Pike isn't going to help you since it will only be a very short distance from Wheeler Rd. to Adams St. What,....A quarter of a mile or less? Sitting in traffic for that short distance may be a better alternative than traveling seven miles out of your way. We residents (personally a 50 yr. one) do it every day at peak periods !
This debacle is the result of overbuild in a one mile area of Middlesex turnpike, and the end is nowhere in sight with Wegman's development coming soon, when the lower end of the Pike will be affected as well.
What are we becoming ? I'd like an answer from someone, because this town is going to have to become a city, governed by a Mayor and City council in the near future if our TMM's agree to more and more development.

Maybe it won't be so bad...Keurig moving to Third Avenue so maybe they'll have 'car hops' serving us coffee as we wait in endless traffic jams along Middlesex Tpk. What ever happened to the rear access roadway they talked about to get from Rt128 exit ramps to the AMC Cinema roadway via the rear parking lot? Or for that matter, shouldn't we negotiate access to the Landlocked Parcel on the other side of Rt.3 for those that want a quiet walk in the forest!

they arent even going to do anything for the road, just take the middle lane and make it another lane for one way. and time the lights, woopdeedoo. Target could totally back out of this whole thing, i love target, but i dont want one here. The road is already way too congested and this new lane isnt going to help much. no support for this project.

I got an idea, move all the stores across town away from the highway, this way there will be less crime because it will be harder for the criminals to get away.

Good reason to not let a business come here. You crack me up.

Gutierrez Company seems to be doing a great job convincing TMM's and others that the work they plan to do on our roads will help the situation. Nothing will help the existing situation......and adding a Target to the equation is absolutely crazy!
As someone mentioned above.....yes a city we will be in no time.....so sad!!!
For some reason, no one has ever entertained the idea of a full cloverleaf at the 128 entry/exit ramps- I feel that would have helped this traffice problem from the very beginning. Everyone, please call their TMM's before it is too late!!!!!

I believe these TMM's are looking at the entire picture here. They are making an informative decision not like the other TTM's that have their narrow minded glasses on. If this fails, who knows what will go in.

Comment from Mr. Weiss “The site as it is today is potentially residentially zoned or even unzoned, which could allow anything to be built on the property.”

@Burlinton Resident - If TM does not rezone it, nothing else can go in there except residences. The State itself advertised the property as residentially zoned. Town Counsel has confirmed that fact. Gutierrez is just trying to scare people with such statements. If this proposal is good, it will stand on its merits. Mr. Weiss should not need to revert to scare tactics. Perhaps even he knows that the traffic plan is weak. Why else would he be conjuring up fake scenarios to frighten people?

Everyone is allowed to have an opinion on this and as soon as someone writes a letter in support, you guys are all over him. This guy is a resident and business owner and you are telling him to suffer. Everyone has been complaining about the traffic down there for years, even us so called “outsiders” that live across town. What has been done about it, nothing. State had no intention on fixing this until now.

As for Gutierrez... they have been a very good corporate citizen and are not going to jeopardize their relationship with the town.

I encourage all TMMs to visit Gutierrez web site http://burlingtoncanyon.com/additional-information/ to see letters from the business community members who have written in favor of the Target rezoning as well as a letter from the state detailing what exactly they are promising to do. Thank you to Gutierrez reps and project supporters for pointing this material out. There is a lot both included and omitted. Here are a few highlights:

Of the letters of support, two are from the Burlington Area Chamber of Commerce, of which Gutierez Co. is a “charter member.” Two of the others are from landowners (Equity Office and Lahey Clinic) whose frontage is along Mall Rd., and who thus have alternative means of egress other than via Middlesex Tpk. Most of the businesses along that corridor appear to have declined to support the project.

Here is a direct quote from the Mass DOT letter: “Mass DOT will not reserve funds from the Canyon Parcel sale proceeds to fund any unrelated improvements or commitments … it would not be appropriate or equitable for the sales proceeds from that land to be dedicated for use in a single municipality.” Those do not sound like the words of a state agency that intends improve the traffic situation.

Town Meeting voted on Monday to discuss this project on Monday, May 21 at 7:30 pm. The meeting is held in the BHS auditorium. This is the best opportunity for residents on both sides of the issue to come and discuss their thoughts and concerns. This is democracy at work - be a part of it!