WOODSTOCK – Could there be a plan in the works for a Route 26 bypass around Bryant Pond?

If Comprehensive Plan Committee Chairman Norman Putnam has anything to say about it, there will. The reasons: Safety and village preservation.

“At a recent meeting of the Route 26 Corridor Committee I discussed the possibility with people from the DOT, and they indicated such a plan might be a viable plan in future efforts to improve the Route 26 corridor,” Putnam said.

On Sept. 21, a group trekked to the top of Buck’s Ledge to view a possible route for a bypass.

Participating were DOT representatives Dale Doughty and Carl Croce, Town Manager Vern Maxfield and Putnam. Doughty and Croce said they could definitely see that a route across the valley around Bryant Pond would be possible.

Maxfield said the bypass would exit Route 26 just west of the junction of Route 232 near the top of Merrifield Hill, drop into the valley, cross Rumford Avenue near the former Stowell residence and finally rejoin Route 26 a few hundred yards west of the Roadside Spring.

“With regards to future projects, our paramount concern is the safety of our citizens,” Putman said.

“We are also very interested in keeping the village aspect of Bryant Pond. We believe to accomplish these two goals we should give first priority to the bypass. Any construction which does not address these two goals should be secondary,” he said.

Last week, selectmen gave their unconditional support for such a plan and gave Putnam the go-ahead to pursue the idea and negotiate with the state.

“I think a bypass around the village would greatly improve safety here in the village,” said Selectman Leon Poland, “especially on the corner by the Maine House. And I don’t believe it would have any great negative impact on businesses in the village.’