To the Editor:

I read with interest Nancy Green’s letter in the recent Town Topics (“Faulting Hospital for the U.S. Route 1 Closures,” Mailbox, Aug. 28) in which she floats the idea that the closures put into effect on Route 1 might have more to do with accommodating ambulance traffic headed to the new medical center than with easing traffic through the corridor. In fact, it is more than curious that these closures coincided with the opening of the new hospital. I’ve lived in this area for most of the last 30 years. While I have certainly seen the traffic circle at Washington Road back up traffic because of it’s archaic configuration, I have rarely, if ever, seen traffic heading north on Route 1 attempting to make a left at Harrison Road cause any sort of delay. The jughandle there is very long and can accommodate many vehicles. In fact, if there really was an issue, there is no reason, as many have pointed out, that a turn lane can’t be constructed on Route 1 north entering that jughandle. If DOT won’t be open to that idea, I think it is quite clear what the motivating forces are for the closures — at least at Harrison Road.

Gary Maltz

Braeburn Drive