I’m writing as a longtime Baxter resident, business owner, and proud member of a community my family has called home for over 40 years. I have deep concerns about the proposed Highway 371 overpass and the lasting effects it could have — not just on my business, but on Baxter’s residential and commercial future.

I chose the Holiday Stationstore at the corner of 371 and Excelsior because it’s visible, accessible, and convenient — essential qualities for a gas station that serves both locals and visitors. But if this project goes through as planned, all of that disappears.

According to current designs, our store — and others nearby — will be nearly invisible from the highway. Drivers going 60+ mph won’t see us in time, and even if they do, they’ll have to quickly slow down, navigate multiple roundabouts, and make several correct turns to reach us. Most won’t. They’ll miss the exit and stop farther north — at a business likely not owned by a Baxter resident.

When our stores are bypassed, so are the jobs, services and youth opportunities we support. Losing seasonal traffic means more than lost sales — it means lost livelihoods.

And the argument that we’re saving drivers 10 minutes on their way north doesn’t justify sacrificing the future of dozens of local businesses. That’s the opposite of what the Corridors of Commerce program was meant to do. It’s supposed to promote economic development — not funnel it elsewhere.

This project is being rushed. Let’s not risk decades of damage for the sake of speed.

Join us at the public hearing on Nov. 3 at 6 p.m. in the Forestview Middle School cafetorium. Learn more, speak up, and help protect Baxter’s future

See you there!

David Quisberg
Holiday Stationstores, Baxter