EAST LONGMEADOW – The Planning Boards of East Longmeadow and Longmeadow have outlined the scope for a traffic study regarding a proposed campus-style medical development located on 20 acres that cuts across town lines.

Department of Public Works Director Robert Peirent told Reminder Publications the single scope for the traffic study would define the impacts of the project and the required improvements to mitigate those impacts.

“It’s really premature to define what those impacts will be because the purpose of the traffic study is to project what those impacts will be and then to identify solutions to mitigate those impacts,” he added.

Michael Crowley, principal with Middle Franklin Development, previously presented an early outline of the project during a joint meeting between the two boards in June. Four buildings would be included in the project such as a 50,000-square-foot medical office building, in which Baystate Health would be the tenant, a two-story 25,000-square-foot conventional office building, a 131-bed Berkshire Health skilled nursing facility to replace the existing facility at 305 Maple St. in East Longmeadow, and an assisted living facility.

Planning Director Robyn MacDonald said the traffic study would likely be completed within two to three weeks.

Peirent said the three primary intersections that affected include Benton Drive and Chestnut Street in East Longmeadow, and two intersections in Longmeadow such as the Converse Street area, and the Dwight Road, Williams Street and Maple Street intersection.

“Those three intersections put together are some of Longmeadow and East Longmeadow’s busiest intersections,” he explained.

According to a document outlining the scope of the study, it would review accident data from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation on those streets during the last three years, determine the amount of traffic generated by the project, and prepare a traffic impact report that would include traffic volume figures, recommendations, and conclusions in accordance with requirements of both towns.

Conceptual plans for proposed roadway improvements would be developed – likely improvements would include widening Maple Street for a potential auxiliary turning lane, and a reconstruction of the Dwight Road and Converse Street intersection, which would include widening for additional lanes, the addition of traffic signals, and better accommodation for pedestrians, it states.

MacDonald said no plans have been submitted to either Planning Board at this time.

“Nothing has been shown, but they are looking to make it more of a campus style and have most of the parking in East Longmeadow,” she noted.

MacDonald said Middle Franklin Development previously stated it would like to begin construction in October 2017, however she believes construction might begin later than that date.

She said the medical building is in Longmeadow and it would receive the tax revenue for that building.

“Depending on whether the nursing home extends the actual nursing facility, East Longmeadow will get no tax revenue,” she added. “That’s exempt. However, if it’s an assisted living facility then that would not be tax exempt.”

Peirent said East Longmeadow might benefit from water or sewer fees from the project.

“There’s also been some very preliminary discussions that if a portion of the development ends up being not taxable, the concept of something known as a payment in lieu of taxes is something the developer is aware of,” he explained.