34° and Clear
Image
4-24-2026 1:04am
LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Fears of Traffic Congestion, Light/Noise Pollution if Costco Relocates to Westwood/Norwood Border
Darlene Cancell
Editor
As we reflect on Patriots' Day, we need to call on our leaders to meet the latest challenge that poses an existential threat to Westwood residents. This time it is not the British but the corporate giant Costco, which has submitted an application to the Norwood Zoning Board of Appeals for a special permit to relocate from Dedham to our doorstep.
The location is the already overburdened and poorly functioning intersection of Route 1 and Everett St./University Avenue. The plan is for a much larger warehouse than the one in Dedham with a gas station and nearly 1,000 parking spots. It would overwhelm an already congested area that is clogged on a daily basis with UPS and Amazon trucks and traffic coming from the Canton/Dedham St. slip ramp.
The project would put zero dollars in the town coffers since it is located entirely in Norwood. Westwood would bear the impacts of unbearable traffic from thousands of additional cars pouring into the site with no benefit at all. Light, noise, pollution and a host of other impacts are likely.
We need our Town officials to protect the residents from this onslaught, but so far there has been nothing but silence. We have seen this movie before when the Town of Norwood approved the construction of the Amazon distribution facility on Everett Street. The result was tractor-trailers flying down Canton Street, Everett Street, and Forbes Road.
This project has clearly been in the works for a long time since the Massachusetts DOT is proposing to spend $25 million of our tax money on this single intersection. It does not appear that our Town officials knew anything about these events, all of which were hiding in plain sight.
This is a time when we need leaders--those who currently hold positions and those who are seeking election on April 28---to tell the developer, Costco, the State DOT and the Town of Norwood that we are not going to stand by and be run over by the Costco tractor-trailers that will bring the area to a standstill. Everyone should be closely watching whether the Town has the courage to take action against this existential threat.
John Harding
Thanks to John Harding, Westwood resident, for contributing these comments to Westwood Minute.
---
Editor's Note: While the Town of Westwood does not have governing authority within the borders of Norwood, measures to mitigate potential impacts of the proposed Costco project upon Westwood residents could include negotiations among municipal officials and a review for potential legal issues such as water quality and environmental compliance.
Norwood's Zoning Board of Appeals on April 14 approved the company's application for special zoning permits. Approval included change of use of the site at 1 Technology Way from laboratory/research use to retail trade and service and storage and vehicular service. The Norwood Zoning Board of Appeals also determined that the application meets the town's special regulations for its Water Resource Protection Overlay District. A copy of the Costco Wholesale Site Plan that was reviewed by NZBA is attached as a file below this article.
