ATTLEBORO -- Residents of the Mortgage Hill area have spent about six hours over three nights asking dozens of questions and voicing dozens of concerns about plans to widen North Main Street and install a traffic signal at its intersection with Holden.

And one thing is clear -- they want no part of the project.

While they hope to kill it, city officials said it won't be easy because there are people who are just as passionately in favor of the work for safety reasons.

They warned the 40 residents who showed up at city hall Thursday that only `` half the story'' has been told and state officials who are holding a public hearing next month will listen to both sides.

Public Works Superintendent John Clover organized the three informal meetings this week to give residents a chance to speak out and get their views on the record, but he said there are others who don't agree with them. Clover said he is getting telephone calls in support of the roadwork that is aimed at increasing capacity and safety at the intersection. He expects callers to come to the hearing.

`` There are going to be people who say that intersection is dangerous and that it should be fixed,'' he said. `` This is only one side of the story. We don't know what the other side of the story is, yet. On July 10, we could get 150 people in here saying `it's dangerous, put a light at that intersection.'''

Improvements have been under consideration for more than decade, but the city made a formal request for them in 2003, which sparked the current plan.

Residents say the improvements will bring more traffic, in general, and more truck traffic, in particular.

And more traffic will create dangerous conditions because people will try to `` beat the light,'' and cut through neighborhoods to avoid the light. More traffic will make it harder to get out of their driveways, they said.

Land-takings and the traffic increases will mean the beginning of the end for an historic, tight-knit neighborhood, they said.

City Councilor Bill Bowles, who is backing the opposition, agreed that many motorists will support the effort to revamp the road. He told neighborhood residents their battle won't be easy.

`` I believe you'll see more people speaking in opposition, but I'd almost bet a month's pay that there will be significant support for this,'' he said. `` You're going to see the trucking interests represented and people who are stuck on Holden Street.''

Bowles said support will come not just from residents, but from city officials, including councilors who have serious worries about the safety of the intersection.

`` I have colleagues that are adamant that this is the right thing to do,'' Bowles said. So far, only one city official has pushed for a fix.

Attleboro Redevelopment Authority member Max Volterra, who lives on Bank Street, said he avoids the intersection of North Main and Holden because its dangerous.

While he's not sure the current plan is the best, something has to be done, he said at the first of the three meetings.

The state-funded project is estimated to cost $2.3 million. About $200,000 has been allocated for design work. The design phase is about 25 percent complete, which under state law requires a public hearing.

The hearing is scheduled for 7 p.m. on July 10 in city hall.

GEORGE RHODES can be reached at 508-236-0432 or at grhodes@thesunchronicle.com.