Page 13 - BusinessWest May 30, 2022

Community Spotlight
Businesses Are Planting Roots in Hadley
By Mark Morris
In some ways Hadley is a tale of two com- munities.
One is a small farming town, known locally
— and even beyond — for its asparagus. The other Hadley exists on Route 9, the main artery running through town that can see up to 100,000 vehicles a day bringing people to shopping cen- ters, universities, hotels — and neighboring towns.
“When I came to Western Mass I saw lots of collaboration and
a sense of commitment for each other to succeed. I just didn’t
see that kind of collaboration in Eastern Mass.”
This dual nature brings obvious opportunities and challenges — and many of both — to this Hampshire County community.
The opportunities are clearly evident all along
Route 9 — retail outlets of every kind that bring people, and vital tax revenue, to the town. The challenges ... they are clearly evident as well.
And one of the biggest is meeting the demands of those 100,000 vehicles using the town’s infrastructure with the staff and budget of a small town.
“The perception is that Hadley is a small town, but it really isn’t when you consider the number of people who are here during the day,” said Car- olyn Brennan, town administrator.
In the first round of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding, Hadley received $1.5 million, which was used to address repairs to two culverts as well as repairs to the dike that runs next to
the Connecticut River. The town sought separate funding for its largest infrastructure project, a 21⁄4-mile reconstruction of Route 9. When com- plete the road will be widened for additional traf- fic lanes and bus shelters, and storm drains will be upgraded.
Brennan said that because Route 9 is a state road, the Mass. Department of Transportation (MassDOT) is splitting costs with the town. Bren- nan explained that the town will open the road to fix the infrastructure below, and MassDOT will handle the widening and new pavement.
“The initial phase of the work has begun, like clearing brush and marking utility poles that will
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COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT
MAY 30, 2022 13
Hadley
at a glance
YEAR INCORPORATED: 1661
POPULATION: 5,250
AREA: 24.6 square miles
COUNTY: Hampshire
RESIDENTIAL TAX RATE: $12.18
COMMERCIAL TAX RATE: $13.45
MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME: $86,690
TYPE OF GOVERNMENT: Open Town Meeting, Board of Selectmen
LARGEST EMPLOYERS: Super Stop & Shop; Evaluation Systems Group Pearson; Elaine Center at Hadley; Home Depot; Lowe’s Home Improvement
* Latest information available