Dear Editor:

Boothbay Harbor has always been one of my favorite places. Our annual trip to visit my grandparents in East Boothbay was special from the moment we arrived in Portland. As we drove north toward Boothbay I would note the familiar landmarks: the massive cranes of Bath Irons Works, Red’s Eats, the turnoff to 27, Edgecomb town hall, Dolphin Golf, Railway Village and more. The sweeping turn around the common always signaled we were on the home stretch into town.

Fast-forward 20 years; the Boothbay region has been my home for 14 years. Now traveling down 27 is just part of my daily routine and rather than paying attention to those landmarks as I once did, I notice the long line of cars I’m stuck in after picking up my son up from Camp at 4:30. Or how an event in the Common can bring traffic to a standstill. And how depressed the Common looks in the wintertime.

As the botanical gardens draws larger crowds, and as traffic increases to the country club, that intersection will only get worse. According to the DOT, roundabouts are safer than intersections with stop signs, and allow continuous traffic flow. I see only positives coming from the proposal. I love the idea of my son being able to walk a sidewalk all the way from the Y to Clifford Park. Flowers and trees framing the entrance to the harbor, the beautification of the common, and additional parking seems like a win/win. More opportunities for business means more jobs, more people, more money flowing into our town

All of us have little landmarks that make the Boothbay region feel like home. At one point each of those features was once brand new and a change to what the community was accustomed to. For each landmark someone saw a need and built a building, started a business, or paved a road. I view the roundabout as a new landmark for Boothbay, a needed improvement to our infrastructure. And perhaps the catalyst for a dialogue around what we want for this community in the future.

Anya Heyl

Edgecomb