To the Editor:

In response to “YESeleven likes highway bypass plan,” Nov. 6 issue, It’s not surprising that YESeleven is favorable to the development of bypasses around Canton and Potsdam.

The local activist group has been advocating for the upgrade of Route 11 with bypasses and other improvements for over two years. Bypasses are not a new idea. The idea is also embodied in the state DOT’s 2008 plan for the highway.

What’s new is the idea of a coordinated Canton-Potsdam planning effort to begin the bypass planning process. The aim of such an effort would be to overcome the limitations of local town and village planning boards in dealing with this kind of issue.

In its letter to the North Country Regional Economic Development Council, YESeleven states that “Canton and Potsdam are in many ways ‘sister communities’ and our planning should reflect this fact.” The group further suggests that the County Planning Board should be at the helm of such an effort, and that the planners should maximize engagement with local citizens as they go about their work.

I think the idea of a coordinated approach to planning for the future of the Canton-Potsdam area has merit. Planning bypass routes would be an important part of such an approach, but there are other issues that would also benefit from a regional approach.

Land use and development policy along Route 11 is one such issue. On its website, yeseleven.org, YESeleven refers to the Route 11 corridor as the “lifeblood of our regional economy,” but in the Canton-Potsdam area this vital highway artery is becoming clogged with increased traffic and roadside distractions. It is slowly becoming a ten-mile long strip mall. We’ve all seen this form of urban sprawl elsewhere and it’s not pretty.

I sincerely hope local citizens and officials see the merit of this idea and give it support. The long-term safety and efficiency of Route 11 may depend on it. Further, the vitality of the local economy and the character of the Canton-Potsdam community would probably be enhanced by a coordinated and cooperative regional planning effort.

Richard Grover

Canton