The Lynn Item: Peabody Stop & Shop eyes gas station addition
The store is selling this as a great way to help solidify its base of shoppers by providing services they need... and offering a discount to them as well. It will be a strictly self-service location with no repair facilities.
Of course, new gas stations require new gas tanks - a total of 40,000 gallons of fuel will be stored on the site.The store says that 52 parking spaces will be lost... but this is really NOT a worry for this location. I have NEVER been in this store when it was even close to crowded, and that includes the Holiday Rush(es). The only exception was during one late afternoon blizzard which iced over Howley Street leaving NO WAY to leave! Both directions were practically impassable until the City plows arrived (difficult due to the traffic conundrum on Lowell St).
So my feeling is this has little to do with serving the current customers of the store and all about profits for a less-than-successful location. In fact, I wonder if this was not part of the plan all along when you consider the enormous size of their parking lot.Should the City allow this? Well I wonder about the safety of underground storage tanks in flood prone areas (and no matter what this will always be a flood prone area) BUT the new modern tanks are much safer than the old ones (those are what we really need to worry about.) There are actually very few neighbors to impact here, so that shouldn't be a big problem.
However, I do see an issue or two that I would insist be addressed in the approval granting process here.
1) Stop & Shop needs to contribute both money and land to further fund and create the River Walk project which will eventually need to integrate with its property.
2) Stop & Shop needs to improve the traffic flows through the intersections with Howley Street at both Main and Walnut Streets.
I originally proposed new traffic lights to be coordinated all along Howley (see below) but WGAF made a good case against it... so I softened my proposal.
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However, I do see two issues that I would insist be addressed in the approval granting process here.
1) Stop & Shop needs to pay to install new traffic signals installed at both entrances to the Stop & Shop facility as well as at the intersection of Howley and Walnut... AND all 4 lights (Main & Howley also) need to be synchronized to work well together.
2) Stop & Shop needs to contribute both money and land to further fund and create the River Walk project which will eventually need to integrate with its property.
7 comments:
First let me say that the pumps in question are to be at the front right corner of the lot. (That little triangular portion) I have no problem with this idea, there does seem to be enough room to handle it. But I do disagree with you on one point, PI. The LAST thing this city needs is ANOTHER set of TRAFFIC LIGHTS! And you want THREE more???? What purpose would they serve? There is absolutely NO need for a set of lights at the intersection of Howley and Walnut streets. And lights at each of the entrances to the lot? Less than 500 feet apart? Have you gone soft? Just look at what has happened since the installation of the lights at Washington and Allen's Lane. Traffic is now boggled up for an extended period of time. It backs up down to Foster street and to Lynn street in the other direction. To make matters worse, you can't even take a right on the red coming off of Allen's Lane onto Washington street. If there was a need for lights at this intersection it was only necessary during school rush hour in the AM and PM. The rest of the time, it only screws things up. Now put four traffic lights on a street that carries very little traffic in the first place and you just make it a hell-hole to drive on. The only thing worse than a traffic light is a traffic COP. Leave the driving to the drivers. We're not stupid and we certainly don't need a light to tell us when the coast is clear coming and going from this parking lot.
OG says..
let 'em put the pumps in....my grocery contacts tell me that Stop and Shops are feeling the pinch from places like Walmart and Costco/BJ's so rather than lose this store we need to work with them to help them get store traffic in there...they tie in grocery purchases to gas credits if purchased at their own pumps... surely Mello will say NO on this issue as well!!
Yes, yes, Stop and Shop meeds help making more profits. Stop and Shop has cut down on employing our neighbors (auto scanners). They are in competition with Market Basket mainly. Pricing for the area is their problem. Will a "gas" station be their answer? There are new fuel standards being instituted and a real need to change the fossil fuel industry. Sure allow Stop and Shop a few years extra profits, hire basically no one and then be left with a station not fit for business in the future. With the increase of hybrids if the city looked to the future maybe they could deal some type of clause for an alternative energy pump that could be increased over the years? Gee, if there were to be some type of alternative energy pump wouldn't that be great press but actually bring other folks to the area?
Alright Who...
I will rethink the lights... but I have had trouble at times trying to get in and out (mostly out) of Stop & Shop now, and if they increase vehicle traffic for this gas station it might make it even worse.
And frankly, I would rather see it be located at the far end (Walnut St.) side of the lot rather than the Main St. side for no other reason than it will cause less congestion at an already congested intersection.
I will change my original posting to reflect your sage words... but I still think some control is probably needed.
Anon:
I think you might be a few years ahead of yourself on the alternative fuels. NOT THAT I DISAGREE WITH YOU. In fact, I think that we should be thinking about the long conversion that this country will need to undergo TODAY and if we do an incremental change over time... it should be less costly and less invasive in the long run.
But to think the end of fossil fuel vehicles is close at hand is to optimistic I fear. Today President Obama oversaw a new agreement with the auto industry, environmental groups and the federal government to increase C.A.F.E. standards to 35.5 mpg by 2016... so that should let you know that gas is here for the foreseeable future.
This is an opportunity for the city of Peabody to show leadership. It has been shown that 2/3 of the fuel consumned in this country is for auto's. While at the current time gas is at a low due to the recession it will return to the high prices we recently experienced.
P.I. I did not intend to put forth a message that fossil fuel usage was near an end. fossil fuels will be used for generations to come but facing facts is necessary when accepting a plan for the future. The fact is that 2/3 of the fuel used in our country is for autos. Our "gas" prices while low at the moment will return to the highs and higher sooner rather than later.When "gas" prices are as high and higher than the recent past alternative energy autos are purchaed at a much great number than fossil fuel auto. The low cost "gas" is due to the current recession which looks to be easing in the near future, 2 years has been estimated by those with more knowledge than I and I (assume) you. Factoring in the time the city will use to accept a plan by stop and Shop, the time needed to build a station will add up to a time of higher than recalled prices more than likely.Our city leaders will have an impact our future and including a charging pump would lead us there in the eyes of the resident and those outside Peabody. This would be great press and added revenue to the city by way of our electric plant and more shoppers downtown. of course it goes without saying I believe that some of our leaders will see their way through the current rezoning mess. To miss this opportunity would be just another step in the status quo of this city. Rose colored glasses, maybe, but I believe you and others know this is the time for such a proposal. I am willing to bet, even Stop and Shop officials could see the immediate benefits to such a situation. For the short term it would be press and long term it would be an established business profiting not only the company but the city as well. (imo)
A couple comments. First off, the Allen's Lane lights are a disaster. You drive through late at night or early morning hours and you get a red light with barely a car on the road to contend with. You drive through in the afternoon rush and it is gridlocked about twice a week where you wait many cycles before finally getting through. The timing needs to be greatly improved and the no turn on red signs need to come down. Remember this "improvement" next time they threaten to make Main Street one lane in each direction.
Enough about that and onto the topic of the day. A gas station may actually make sense for the area though I'll probably gripe about the signage they'll have to draw in customers beyond the few folks who actually shop there. As for alternative fuels, there aren't enough cars running on them to make this a worthy scenario. If companies could make a profit, which is why they exist, then they would already be offering this option. All the public relations brownie points won't get a business far if they're not making any money and go out of business. If such cars become widely available someday in the distant future, then maybe we'll start seeing more stations with this available. Keep in mind that the big name hybrids out there run on gas and batteries, not alternative fuels. As it is, one of the nearest alternative fuel stations is outside of Logan airport and I've never actually seen anyone using those particular pumps.
It took me more than 15 minutes (literally) to get through the Foster Street and Allen's Lane lights tonight as only a couple cars were getting through on each light cycle. Needless to say, I wasn't exactly singing the praises of these new lights. To my surprise and much needed amusement, there was a wild turkey walking along the sidewalk by Eastman Gelatine so I hope this was the real cause of tonight's worse than normal troubles with this "improved" intersection.
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