Despite concerns from several neighboring residents, the Planning and Zoning Commission overwhelmingly approved a proposal for a new Big Y on South Main Street near Randolph Road last week. The 6-1 decision made last Wednesday will allow Stone Point Properties to build a nearly 52,000 square foot Big Y supermarket at the site of the former Frontier and SNET fleet maintenance garage at 850 South Main Street – including a new traffic light on South Main and a 256-space parking lot. Traffic engineer Scott Hesketh said that, while the development would draw additional traffic, it could end up making it easier for Highland Avenue residents to turn onto South Main Street by creating more gaps in the traffic. Commissioner Sebastian Giuliano, who voted in favor of the application, said that the blinking traffic light has been a problem since it was installed. He said he hoped that the new development would be enough to convince the state that it needs to fix it.
