Slow-moving traffic along Hoosick Road in Brunswick, where some residents are concerned about the quality and quantity of new development.

When Tim and Tori Galvin have friends or family over for dinner, their guests invariably show up late. Apologetically late, but late nevertheless.

The reason, most often, is the location of the Galvins’ home, just off Hoosick Road, about a mile from the town line. Through Troy and Brunswick, Hoosick is a place where traffic crawls at the speed of … well, hardly any speed at all. Some days, it feels like you could walk faster.

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The problem isn’t new. Hoosick’s congestion was being described as “notorious” as far back as 1997, and probably earlier, with much of the gridlock caused by through traffic headed for Vermont or coming back.

Still, congestion continues to worsen, and the most significant reason is obvious: Development.

In 2017, the Galvins received a letter informing them that their home and neighborhood had been rezoned from strictly residential to commercial — surprise! — along with other residential sections of Hoosick Road. The rezoning was part of a decision by the town of Brunswick to encourage development and to make the state-owned roadway, Route 7, even more of a business corridor. (Route 7 is Hoosick Street in Troy and Hoosick Road in Brunswick.)

That was a questionable decision, given the traffic problems. It might have been wiser to push development toward something akin........

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