Hotel At Old Soccer Bubble Could Lead To Intersection Makeover

MANSFIELD, MA — A reworking of the Route 140-Reservoir Street intersection is being proposed as part of the mitigation for a proposed hotel development at the corner of the street.

The hotel and restaurant proposal from developer Marco Crugnale slated for the former Player’s Choice soccer facility off of Route 140 was back in front of the planning board last week. If the plan is approved, it could mean a reworking of the area. Under the proposal, the intersection of Route 140 and Reservoir Street would get a traffic light and Reservoir Street would get turn lanes towards Route 140. Currently, the intersection has a grade of F from Massachusetts Department of Transportation and the upgrades would improve it to a B.

Crugnale is hoping to build a 130-room hotel, along with a restaurant and a bank at the site. Sean Kelly, a traffic engineer from Vanasse Associates, presented a traffic study which indicates that the development would add about 2,100 daily trips to the 25,000 that currently exist on Route 140.

Planning Board member Thomas French called the proposed road changes a large improvement and said that a signal would help the road.

Residents on Reservoir Street remain concerned about potential traffic on their street.

The hearing was continued to Aug. 15.

Image taken by Dan Libon.