State drops controversial Northampton roundabout project (MA)

 

W8li Nogdgisg8adt8onk Nitompaog (Good-Meeting My Friends)

Tue, May 18 at 7:39 PM

       W8li Acim8, Wunne Achimu, Good News: MassDOT has cancelled its plans for a roundabout that would have destroyed the legacy of an ancient ancestral Indigenous village with unique artifacts.

     Thank You Land Protectors and Equal Preservationists, Your strong opposition is cited as a basis for this change.

    Those of us who were bad-mouthed for standing up are now honored by the legacy of our Ancestors.  This is a great first step in equal historic preservation for Massachusetts.  We can now being to real plan for equal historic preservation in Massachusetts.

 

"NORTHAMPTON — The state has cancelled its plans to build a traffic roundabout at North King and Hatfield streets on what’s also the site of a 10,000-year-old 'undisturbed ancient village.'"

     Early on, we were attacked for standing up and criticized for calling the site a village, but obviously, this interpretation is now accepted and our stand is validated.  They said "no Native Americans are concerned, " but we showed that Natives and diverse Americans care very much.  Thanks to the Skibiski family, River Valley Co-Op, Aquinnah Wampanoag Cultural Resources Office, Nolumbeka, Mark, Rochelle, Anthony, Tyler, Don, Peter, Rob, Mary Lou, Gia, Christopher, Jose, Leah, Kenneth, Eric, Eileen, Amy, Adele, Alex, Sarah, Wayne, Martin, Chris, all 55,000+ people who signed the petition on behalf of justice in historic preservation, and everyone who supported.

    “MassDOT has determined that the best next step is to terminate the current construction contract and undertake a re-evaluation of the project design. The re-evaluation option is responsive to the nature of the public comments received, which asked MassDOT to consider alternatives that avoided the location of the archaeological site,” the notice said. “This re-evaluation will take public opposition into account as a key evaluation criterion for all design alternatives considered.”

      We can now offer the pedestrian overpass alternative, a chance for a cultural space, and neighborhood improvement.  Several people suggested a pedestrian overpass and traffic control light alternative at the DOT comment meeting. 

      w8liw8sse nitompaog (good work my friends),

                                        Nohham R. Cachat-Schilling

                                             they/them/two-spirits

 

State drops controversial Northampton roundabout project on North King Street:

https://www.gazettenet.com/MassDOT-cancels-Northampton-roundabout-on-indigenous-archaeological-site-40532307?utm_source=DHGHeadlineAlerts&utm_medium=DailyNewsletter&utm_campaign=HeadlineAlerts&fbclid=IwAR1pMLRp3k69K7d2NjRpaiiapJYouzAC2riDITZuJ8CSriGC7mGIZEwRZBk