Analysis: Transportation impact on local, state and federal highways in the White Mountains if Casella builds its Dalton dump
Prepared by NCABC Dec. 21, 2020 (All data come from one of three sources: GSL Traffic Study, dated September 2020; Notes from January 29, 2020 DOT Lancaster Office meeting; Notes from February 22, 2020 DOT Concord Office “Scoping Meeting.”
How many trucks can be expected?
• 102 trucks on an average day will go to the dump and come back
from the dump.
• It’s important to recognize that this means on the proposed
routes, 204 trucks, not 102 trucks, will be rolling by on an average
day.
• Additional trucks, including an as yet unspecified number of large
tankers carrying toxic leachate will transit to and from the dump
site to unspecified processing centers over unspecified routes.
How big will the trucks be?
• Half of the 102 trucks will be WB-67 vehicles, which have 18
wheels, and are 67 feet in length. While this may be the intent, 22
wheel vehicles have been observed servicing the NCES dump in
Bethlehem.
• The other half of the 102 trucks will be smaller, but no
information is provided about the size of those smaller trucks.
This means that the size of those trucks could be only slightly
smaller than WB-67 vehicles.
What does Casella propose as the best truck route?
• For trucks accessing the dump from northbound I-93, exit to
North on US 3 in Franconia, through Franconia, Bethlehem,
Carroll, and Whitefield, then Southwest on NH 116 in Whitefield
to the dump access at the intersection of NH 116 and Douglas
Drive.
• For trucks accessing the dump from I-91 in either southbound or
northbound direction, exit to South on I-93 in St. Johnsbury and continuing past all Littleton I-93 exits, exit to East on US 302
through Bethlehem and Carroll, then North on US 3 in Carroll to
Whitefield, then Southwest on NH 116 in Whitefield to the dump
access at the intersection of NH 116 and Douglas Drive.
What does Casella say are the implied criteria it used to choose a
proposed route?
• Maximize travel on interstate roads
• Minimize travel on non-interstate roads
• Minimize travel distance
• Community impacts
• Roadway infrastructure constraints
Are the proposed routes consistent with the criteria?
• No; not even close. The route that is most consistent with the
criteria would be for all trucks to travel through Littleton to
the site, whether access is via I-93 or via I-91. A route through
Littleton could exit I-93 onto US 302 East to NH 116, or exit
I-93 at Cottage Street to NH 116.
• In addition, there are a number of other possible routes that
would go through Littleton, but would not go through the heart
of Littleton’s commercial district.
Why are routes through Littleton more consistent with the criteria
than the proposed route?
• A route through Littleton significantly increases the amount of
travel on interstate roads compared to the proposed routes.
• A route through Littleton significantly decreases the amount of
travel on non-interstate roads compared to the proposed
routes.
• A route through Littleton significantly decreases the total
number of miles traveled, particularly for trucks accessing the
site from I-91.
• A route through Littleton impacts only one community, i.e.,
Littleton, instead of the three communities impacted by the
proposed route, i.e., Twin Mt./Carroll, Whitefield, and
Bethlehem.
Some routes through Littleton appear to have no significant
constraints; other routes may. In contrast, the proposed routes
include a very significant constraint, i.e., the intersection of US
3 and NH 116 in the center of Whitefield, already flagged as
problematic by NH DOT.
Then why is the proposed route preferred compared to a route through
Littleton that is more consistent with the criteria?
• The answer seems obvious—Casella (and maybe NH DOT also)
want to avoid political entanglements with Littleton.
• Casella has openly said this at an initial meeting with NH DOT in
January 2020.
• And it was reiterated at the “scoping meeting” between NH DOT
and Casela in February 2020.
Is it fair to route trucks to travel further overall, travel further on non-
interstate roads, and disrupt more communities just to placate Littleton?
• We think the answer is NO! If Littleton wants to receive any
benefits from the Dalton dump it should be willing to bear some of
the costs.
• In fact, as a matter of fairness, the trucks should be going through
Dalton. The proposed routes will have no traffic impact on
Dalton, which ironically is the only town in the region that will
receive direct cash payments from Casella, reportedly $71 million.