warehouses will have many Negative impacts

The planned warehouses will have 792 loading docks in total. Truck traffic to and from the warehouses will travel on many of the main roads in Lancaster.

Cars and trucks will use GPS maps to take short cuts through neighborhoods to avoid backups on the main roads. Traffic will be a problem throughout Lancaster as cars detour off of main roads to George Hill Rd, Sterling Rd, Langen Rd, Brockelman Rd, and other side roads.

Tractor trailers emit diesel exhaust which contains particulate matter. This air-borne matter is harmful to humans, animals and the environment. Learn more about the adverse health impacts of diesel particulate matter associated with warehouses here: 

https://ceds.org/warehouses/?amp

More traffic lights will cause traffic to back up and make a trip across town take much longer. 

There are lights proposed for:

1. Rt 70 on the the north side of Rt 2, at Fort Pond Rd

2. Rt 70 south of Rt 2 at McGovern Blvd, where hundreds of trucks will enter and exit every day

3. Rt 70 just north of Nationwide Auto Recycling, where the proposed 40R housing development would be located.

Tractor trailers have a difficult time entering and exiting Rt 2 at Rt 70 because there are not adequate acceleration or deceleration lanes. Traffic back ups will be dangerous. 

Proposed mitigations such as the light at Woods Lane/Fort Pond Rd/Lunenburg Rd have been flagged in the peer review of the traffic study and by MASS DOT as being inadequate. The peer reviewer suggested installation of a modern roundabout at this location, but this was ignored by the developer.

The developer plans for THREE shifts of workers each day to cover their 24/7/365 operations, with ~777 total workers per shift. These workers will drive in to Lancaster from all directions, adding traffic to Main St, Rt 117, Rt 70, and other roads as they seek routes with less traffic congestion.

Many distribution warehouses run 24/7. The Capital Group project abuts the White Pond neighborhood, and the future 40R and 40B sites.  Tractor trailers will be entering and exiting the area at all hours.

When tractor trailer trucks back up to loading docks in the middle of the night the beeps will disturb neighbors. The movement of heavy trucks and trailers at all hours will create noise for neighbors near and far.

Neighbors within 1/2 mile of  the three warehouse projects are already subjected to traffic noise from Rt 2 and trucks braking. This noise will increase significantly and make it difficult to enjoy the outdoors. 

The Lancaster sound bylaw says noise should not be heard 200 feet from a business. This does not take into account the traffic entering and leaving the site.  

Hundreds of workers will enter and exit the project as the report to work or leave to go home. This traffic will create noise for the nearby neighborhoods.

Property values decrease along and in proximity to roads where traffic increases lead to more noise.

The multiple warehouse developments and the runoff from increased truck and car traffic will impact the water quality of the local ponds including the town beach on Spectacle Pond.

Safety of beach visitors will be compromised by huge trucks using Old Union Turnpike to come on and off  ofRt 2.

The Captial Group Project will have 2,400,000square feet of warehouse space near the Nashua River Greenway. The river is the jewel of our town. Runoff from the paved surfaces will eventually make its way to the river and pollute it.

A major aquifer runs under the portions of the property proposed for development by the Capital Group. Parts of the property are within a Water Resource Protection District. 

North Lancaster residents have no access to public water supplies and rely on their private wells that draw on this aquifer for drinking water.

The Capital Group mega-warehouse project and a portion of the 40R are located within the Central Nashua River Valley Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC). This treasure in our town, contains wetlands that protect our groundwater supply, fisheries, and wildlife habitat, and also prevent pollution and control flooding.

The planned parking lots, trucks, and sewage treatment plant associated with the 40R and warehouses will defile this incredible natural resource.

Lancaster designated Fort Pond Road and Old Union Turnpike as Scenic Roads. Traffic from this mega-warehouse development will turn these into congested, noisy, and polluted areas. Heavy traffic loads could require trees to be removed to widen the roads, ruining these local resources.

Warehouses will operate 24/7/365 and will be lit up at night for safety. They will cause  light pollution and will ruin our beautiful night skies.