Longmeadow MA and the casino in Springfield

Jim McCarthy

Longmeadow, MA

Longmeadow is a town in Western Massachusetts.  It has a population of about 16,000.  The town was settled in 1644 and was originally farmland.

Background

Background

Population: 15,784 Percent over 65: 19.4 Median age: 45.7 Number of Companies: 1,631 Percent high school graduate: 93.9% Total housing units: 5,936 Median household income: $99,089 Foreign born population: 1,621 Individuals below poverty level: 4.2% Veterans: 1,052

Background White: 14,445 Black or African American: 116 American Indian or Alaska Native: 0 Asian: 1,077 Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander: 4 Hispanic or Latino: 545

In 2000 there were about 619 people of color. 2010 there were about 1278 people of color.

Background

Town center

Background

New high school

Johnny Appleseed

Main concern Traffic Main road in Longmeadow –

Longmeadow Street (ROUTE 5) All other major roads connect to it Route 5 leads right into Springfield at

the location where the casino will be

Main concern

Main concern

Greenman-Pedersen, Inc. (GPI), has conducted a peer review of the regional traffic impacts of the proposed MGM Springfield destination resort-style casino development proposal (herein referred to as the Project) in the City of Springfield, Massachusetts.

Traffic in Longmeadow “impact to traffic along Route 5 as the result

of additional delay on I-91 as a result of Project traffic”

“uniquely impacted by longstanding bottlenecks along I-91 around the Longmeadow Curve (the interchange of Route 5/I-91)”

“projected to generate an additional 286 peak hour vehicle trips along this stretch of highway during the Friday evening commuting hour, an already congested period”

Traffic in Longmeadow

“GPI advised Longmeadow to seek funds to upgrade signal equipment at the Longmeadow Street (Route 5) at Converse Street, Longmeadow Street (Route 5) at Forest Glen Road and Converse Street at Laurel Street intersections”

GPI recommends that Longmeadow consult with MassDOT

Traffic in Longmeadow

the Project is estimated to generate 1,290 (in total) new vehicle trips on a typical Friday evening between 5:00-6:00 PM

Longmeadow wanted $1 million up front followed by annual payments of $500,000▪ To deal with complications

“We made our best and final offer, which would be $850,000 up front and $275,000 annually.” – Stephen Crane, Town Manager

The Meadows

The Meadows

The Meadows

The Meadows Conservation Commission Chair Albert

Laasko Asked about making the land more

accessible like a park “There are 474 acres of Conservation land

in the 1700 acres in the meadows.”  “By law, Conservation land is restricted to

conservation and passive recreation.  Conservation land is separate from park land that is available for active recreation.”

The Meadows

“The meadows is all in the floodplain and new construction is not allowed in the zoning bylaws.  It is essential to maintain volumetric capacity in the floodplain to prevent flooding.”