HOLYOKE, Mass. (WWLP) – Traffic oftentimes is backed up near Holyoke Community College, but starting today, there’s a new way to get onto campus.
The new road, known as Doyle Drive has been ten years in the making. It will provide access to the campus right from Route 202, or Westfield Road. Doyle Drive is about a third of a mile long and connects Westfield Road to Campus Road, near the Kids’ Place and Lot F.
The road opened Monday to students and staff, and the road was already getting quite a bit of use among those arriving for morning classes.
Still, J.J. McKenna, an HCC student and Holyoke resident, told 22News he thinks there will continue to be traffic near the main entrance on Homestead Avenue.
“I think that is going to help out eventually, but I live right on Beech Street, so I do notice coming up this way there is still a lot of traffic, especially getting off of 91. So I mean it does help, but the majority of the problem is still over in that area,” McKenna said.
The school had been working for a long time with the state Division of Fisheries and Wildlife to make sure the road wouldn’t disrupt the environment too much.
Doyle Drive construction cost $2 million, and was paid for with grant money. There will be a formal grand opening later this spring.
