City Councilor Sal LaMattina criticized Wynn Casino’s plans to mitigate traffic through Charlestown to its proposed casino in Everett at a meeting Tuesday night at Charlestown High School.
While Wynn representatives said at the meeting they would spend millions to remedy traffic problems in Sullivan Square and add ferry service from Boston LaMattina said it wasn’t enough.
“It’s really insulting that you’re here and you don’t have a solution,” said LaMattina. LaMattina added that there have not been enough details released on the traffic mitigation plan.
“Promises are not enough,” he said after the meeting.
Mayor Martin Walsh, who attended the meeting, said it would be his job to protect the residents of Charlestown.
Throughout the meeting over 200 Charlestown residents voiced concerns over traffic impacts, environmental impacts and begged for more concrete details on mitigation. Among those who said they wanted more details were those supportive of the proposed $1.6 billion casino but would be less supportive if the additional traffic impacts along Rutherford Ave, Sullivan Square and Route 99 were not addressed in some sort of meaningful way by Wynn. Some at the meeting said if traffic plans could not be implemented that a casino in neighboring Everett probably was not a viable option for the area.
Plans have already been approved by the Boston Transportation Department to reduce traffic on Route 99 by redesigning the Rutherford Avenue and Sullivan Square corridor. Some at the meeting said future casino traffic, without meaningful mitigation, could jeopardize or destroy years of hard work and thoughtful planning for this corridor and negatively impact the neighborhood.