Town Board wants second Maple Road traffic study
by JESSICA L. FINCH Associate Editor

The stack of e-mails, letters and messages from residents wanting a traffic study for Maple Road was enough to get Supervisor Satish Mohan's OK.

He received the support of the Amherst Town Board at Monday's meeting to request an independent traffic study on a portion of Maple Road near the proposed Benderson Development Co. Town Centre.

"Since we accepted the FEIS I can count at least 20 correspondences saying a traffic study should be done," said Mohan, referring to the Final Environmental Impact Statement, which was adopted by the board at its Dec. 17 meeting.

The FEIS includes a traffic study but residents have questioned it, saying key data is missing, including accident reports.

Council Member Deborah Bruch Bucki has been pushing for an independent traffic study since she reviewed the 30-page study, saying it is incomplete.

There are some complications in requesting the traffic study. The town is facing a deadline on Jan. 26, which is 30 days from the official adoption of the FEIS. Board members said they didn't think there was enough time to complete a traffic study.

Council Member Guy Marlette questioned if an extension could be requested and what would happen should the town miss the deadline.

Town Attorney Tom Jones advised the town to speak with the developer about an extension.

Erik Recoon, vice president of leasing development for Benderson, attended the meeting and said the company hadn't been contacted by the town about the matter.

He said he believes the traffic study submitted by Benderson is a complete report, and he stands by the professionalism and credibility of the company that handled the study.

Recoon said he didn't have a comment as to whether Benderson would or wouldn't agree until the town sent a request in writing.

Policy usually requires that the developer pay for an independent traffic study, and the company is chosen by the town. Mohan said he would be contacting Benderson Development this week.

The rezoning of 218 and 330 Maple Road, the former Buffalo Gun Club property, remains on the Town Board's unfinished business portion of the agenda. A date for the vote has not yet been announced but will most likely be delayed with the approval of another traffic study.