PORTLAND, Maine — Northeastern University's Roux Institute is planning to make a new home in Portland's East Deering neighborhood, where the old B&M Baked Beans factory stands near Interstate 295.
People who live in the area are voicing concerns with the campus' current plans as they say it lacks solutions to mitigate traffic.
"We think it's a great concept. We are just concerned about how they're going to get people into and out of this particular site," Steve Von Vogt, with the group East Deering Neighborhood for Responsible Development, said.
Currently, Sherwood Street off of Veranda Street is the only road that can be used to access the campus.
More than 800 people are expected to enter and leave Roux's campus every day during peak evening hours between 5-6 p.m., according to a traffic impact study.
Von Vogt is urging the institute to create off-site parking with shuttles to alleviate some congestion, especially during peak travel times. He said the neighborhood group has met periodically with the Roux Institute for the past two years to address their concerns.
"We've talked about it, and we just haven't come to a meeting of minds on what we feel is a doable solution," he said.
Businesses on Veranda Street say the new campus could be a double-edged sword.
"Any amount of traffic is going to affect us but hopefully it will affect us in a good way," Suzanne Foley-Ferguson, the owner of Beal's Ice Cream, said.
Parking also remains a concern for Foley-Ferguson because it's what her business relies on. If developers can't find other solutions to the projected traffic congestion, she fears the city will need to take away street parking to make the road wider.
"For businesses like mine, parking is paramount," she said.
The Roux campus will be built in phases. The latest plan is to build a parking garage with 625 spaces, plus an additional 14 outside. The traffic study, however, said parking will be constrained once the full campus is complete in 2032.
Portland's Planning Board will hold a public hearing on June 11 to discuss the Roux Institute's site plan application for its first phase of development.