Progress with York Toll Relocation

For the past couple of years the town of York and the Maine Turnpike Authority (MTA) have been working in conjunction with each other to find a new location for the York toll plaza. The current toll plaza possesses many problems which hinder its ability to operate to its fullest and safest capacity. Both the town and the MTA have been struggling to find a new location for the plaza for numerous reasons but the one that the townspeople are concerned with the most is that they do not want to displace those living in the proposed locations.

The simplest plan would be to rebuild or renovate the current toll plaza but it was built on wetlands in 1969 when it was legal to do so; laws today prevent construction from being done on wetlands. This is also the main safety issue with the toll plaza; it is sinking at a slow rate and requires constant work to be maintained.

Other deficiencies of the current site are: it is at the bottom of a hill on a curve, it is very close to the exit at mile marker 7, and its location cannot easily be seen in the distance. All of these problems have been taken into consideration when finding locations to put the proposed plaza, and although some have been found, they interfere with the lives of citizens of the town.

Of course the Maine Turnpike Authority possesses the power of eminent domain which is looking to be avoided by the town. Eminent Domain is the government’s right to take land without the owner’s permission but the owner must be reimbursed with a reasonable amount of money. As a result every measure is being taken to find a location that is best for all parties involved.

The project took a big step on February 24, and the preliminary plans have been sent to the Army Corps of Engineers (A.C.E.) with four possible locations for the new plaza. One of the sites, as a formality, is where the current plaza resides, and two other sites would not force anyone out of their homes. A local citizen said, “It’s good to hear that there are options that won’t kick people out of their homes.” Another citizen called it “a relief.”

Now that the plans have been turned over to the Army Corps of Engineers, the MTA has no authority on the matter. “[The town] will try to convince [the Army Corps of Engineers] with its own documentation that the "do nothing" option is the best option” (The York Weekly). This has been the town of York’s opinion on the issue since it was brought up and it does not look to change anytime soon. One citizen says that “it might be beneficial for the town to loosen its stance and negotiate to find the best location. So we at least have some control over our destiny instead of arguing over something that looks unlikely to happen.” This definitely does not speak for the whole community as another citizen believes that “we should not change our position.”

Opinions may be torn but everyone is just looking out for what is best for the town as a major decision should be made over the next year.