The Town Council received an update on the proposed Shore Road Rehabilitation Project on Monday, July 11, 2022 from Sebago Technics.   The update, as presented by Nikki Conant, Senior Transportation Engineer at Sebago, included alternative options developed in response to comments and concerns raised during the April 12 public forum.

Reviewing details outlined at the forum, Town Manager Matthew Sturgis reiterated that the initial goals for the project include: Transitioning Shore Road to a multi-modal corridor that would include bike lanes, new sidewalks, and esplanade space where available; providing sidewalk along the land-side of Shore Road with thoughtfully applied crosswalk locations; creating a consistent roadway with vehicular travel-ways-width reductions; and invest in the business district.  Sturgis said, “We are excited about this as it is a gateway to the community; the last time anything of significance took place on Shore Road was more than 50 years ago.”  Additionally, Sturgis said that ideally the council would be prepared to vote on the project in August so that the project could be included on the November 2022 ballot. While funding will be pursued through Maine Department of Transportation and Portland Water District, “A project in excess of $1 million must go to referendum, regardless of the funding source,” Sturgis said.

Sebago’s preliminary design considerations include: Drainage and pavement improvements; partnering with Portland Water District to replace aging infrastructure; upgrading sidewalks and crosswalks per the Americans with Disability Act; right-of-way process; and Casino Beach drainage.  Conant reported that for the most part, the project will include sidewalks 5 to 6 feet in width; new granite curbs on both sides of the road; vehicular travel lanes that are 10.5 to 11 feet wide; 5-foot shoulders/bicycle lanes; variable esplanades/grass spaces with street trees; and crosswalks with detectable warning fields and rectangular rapid flashing beacons (RRFBs).  Per Conant’s presentation, new curb lines will provide visual consistency; reducing concrete where possible will help reduce speeding; and installing sidewalks on both sides of the road will reduce the number of crosswalk locations and therefore fewer pedestrians crossing the road.

Alternative options added since the April 12 forum include adding formal on-street parking on Shore Road between Sea View Avenue and Cottage Farms Road; relocating the crosswalk into Fort Williams Park; maximizing site distance at Stonybrook Road by moving the center line of the intersection; creating geometric changes at the intersection of Preble Street and Shore Road that would force cars to enter the intersection more slowly; removing the originally proposed on-street parking in front of the Cookie Jar and allowing the existing parking to continue.  Although not allowing accessible space for ADA patrons, the option to remove on-street parking in front of the bakery came in response to concerns raised by the business owner and various patrons who worried that on-street parking would negatively impact business.

Following the updates, the public was invited to provide additional comments.  One resident questioned the safety of relocating a crosswalk at Cottage Farms Road to Mountain View Road. The owner of the Cape Elizabeth Service Station said that the proposed plan would reduce the vehicle entrances at his property by half and was concerned that it would not be adequate for larger service trucks.  In response to a question from an attendee, Public Works Director Jay Reynolds said that the plan could consider adding sidewalk on Preble Street or plan for a separate capital project in the future.  In response to another attendee’s question, Sturgis answered that the design plan must comply with the requirements of Maine Department of Transportation regardless of receiving funding from the department or not.  Answering a question on whether parking bans and bike lanes would be enforced, Sturgis confirmed that, “Police would have the ability to enforce and ticket and follow what the law requires for a response.”  Lastly, in response to a question on how bike lanes would be impacted by snow, Reynolds answered, “Bike lanes would be considered part of the roadway and would have snow removed from the bike lanes.”

Following the public opportunity for comments, Sturgis asked that the council provide him with direction on which plan alternatives they favored.  Councilor Nicole Boucher said that she favored the alternative which includes street parking between Cottage Farms Road and Sea View Avenue, but was not in favor of the alternative for the business district, “I have had numerous personal run-ins with the backing-up situation. I know that this has worked for seventy years, but drivers are now distracted.  I am reminded of the situation at the transfer station where  everyone was backing up and unfortunately someone had to lose their life for that to change.”  Boucher added, “I believe that putting more sidewalks and additional parking across the street will increase foot traffic.”  

Councilor Susan Gillis said that she was in favor of the alternative plan which adds parking spots on Shore Road.  Unlike Boucher, Gillis said, “I am in favor of keeping the Cookie Jar parking as is.  The new plan shows a sidewalk on the other side of the street; anyone who wants to walk in the commercial district of town will have a sidewalk to walk on and have a crosswalk to get to the Cookie Jar.”  Chair Jeremy Gabrielson added that he was in agreement with Gillis, but had some concerns that the dedicated parking spaces might increase u-turns and make the situation worse, “Especially with the narrowed roadway width.”

Councilor Gretchen Noonan offered that she too was in agreement with the alternative plan which adds, “Dedicated parking spaces that should also calm some of the craziness going on there.” In terms of parking at the Cookie Jar, Noonan said, “I am torn.  I really don’t want to do anything that effects that business.  I know how established and valued that business is,” but has concerns about safety issues related to bikes passing behind parked cars.

Councilor Timothy Reiniger said that he agreed with both councilors Gillis and Gabrielson, but hoped that “A little bit more could be done to make biking safer,” throughout all of town.  No additional comments from the councilors are given and Sturgis acknowledged that he had adequate feedback to move forward.