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"Think Again,"

is a citizens group working to keep the MTA from building a new $40 million dollar, 21-lane toll plaza. 
This is not a "not in my back yard" situation.


The York town selectmen as well as the Oqunquit town selectmen are vehemently opposed to this toll plaza and are helping us tremendously with our fight.  
We are a town wide group, standing together as a community advocating for the present tollbooth to remain, and to keep the MTA from building a new plaza.

The MTA's proposal threatens and impacts the entire town of York and surrounding communities.  It is an ill conceived plan and is based upon a flawed business model with severe economic, cultural, and environmental effects to our land, farms, homes, historic sites, wetlands and rivers and our property values.  Real Estate will be devalued beyond measure.  Homes will either be taken, or left with a 21- lane highway in their back yard.

It is a guarantee that private land belonging to residents will be taken and irreversibly destroyed.  

The total cost of the project and the cost to the people of York and surrounding communities far exceed the MTA's claim that this is necessary.
 
 

 
 
 
 
Is this what York Needs?
 
 



 

 
                                                                                                 
 What Can Be Done? 
There are viable alternatives! 
The MTA must follow the LEDPA guideling which states that the site chosen
must be the Least Environmentally Damaging Alternative.
Based on 2  years of research, we have found that LEDPA is best achieved by 
using the existing site.  
The best solution is for the tollbooth to remain in its existing location
without expanding beyond its current footprint.

 

 


 


 

       What Can You Do? 


 

1.  Talk with your friends and neighbors.  Help spread the word that this is a serious threat to our town and we need to band together to keep the new tollbooth from being built in a new location
 

2. Visit Norma's in York to buy a t-shirt or button and/or make a donation!

 


       Myths and Facts 

                                       Myth 

"Those who are displaced, of course, should be compensated, but progress sometimes demands decisions that impose a reasonable burden on a few to achieve a benefit for many. "

                                       Portland Press Editor April 22, 2008 

                         Fact

It can not  be considered a "reasonable burden" for a family to be forced to sell their home for an unnecessary tollbooth.  It is can not be considered a "reasonable burden" for a neighborhood to give up their once beautiful rural back yard to a new 21 lane plaza.  It can not be considered a "reasonable burden" for any one of the potentially effected families to have their worlds turned upside down, because the MTA has decided that a new $40 million dollar tollbooth is warranted.

Who will this really benefit? 

 
 Myth
The MTA originally claimed that NO houses would be taken for this project. 
 
Fact
For each site, the plan shows potentially between 1-8  homes needing to be removed. The MTA has expressed that while it may not be necessary to take a  particular home at a given site, the residents will still lose their land to accommodate the 21- lane toll plaza. It is estimated the the lighting that will come from the new plaza would be  equal to
3 Wallmart stores. 
There is no doubt that the value of properties and quality of living at the chosen site and surrounding neighborhoods will decrease significantly.
 
Myth
The MTA claims that the existing tollbooth is not safe.
 
Fact
  The MTA failed to report that accidents have dropped more than 50% since the introduction of EZ pass in 2005.  There is also significant data that disputes the MTA's claim regarding safety.
 
 Myth
The current tollbooth is beyond repair according to the MTA's reports. 
 
Fact 
 We have data that shows there are alternative plans that can address the challenges of the existing tollbooth WITHOUT relocation, WITHOUT changing the footprint,  and WITHOUT tearing down homes, destroying property and forever changing the landscape and ecosystem. 
 
Myth
The MTA has been above board and completely transparent in there proposal of this plaza.
 
Fact
The earlier meetings with selectmen, town managers, and town planners highlighted toll booth inequities and noise levels.  At no time did the MTA mention the size and scope of the proposed new plaza.  Not until recently  did they disclose  the potential taking of private homes and the inevitable taking of resident's land and the actual size of the proposed project.
 
Myth 
The MTA states that Eminent Domain is a last resort option. 
 
Fact
 The MTA reps. assured us that the only way they would use eminent domain is if the land/home owner at the planned site was not willing to sell them their property...
hhmmmmmm  
 
Myth
On April 3, 2008, at the Transportation Committee meeting, the MTA stated that the width of the new plaza would be 400 feet.
 
Fact
The proposed land width taken for the new plaza would be over 1000 feet.  When you look at the maps, clearly this amount of space will require taking of homes and land and the destruction of the landscape.
 
Myth
The MTA has assured us that the wetlands and environmental impact will be carefully considered.
 
Fact
 The MTA's reports regarding the number an size of the wetlands were significantly understated and wrong.  The proposed tollbooth sites sit within the largest unfragmented coastal forest between Acadia National Park and the New Jersey Pine Barrens.  This area has also been identified as the most biologically diverse place in the state of Maine, with the largest number of threatened and endangered species
 
The MTA has not addressed any of the facts surrounding these endangered and threatened species and the obvious threat a 21- lane toll plaza would have on this fragile and important eco-system.