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A Newsletter by the City of Saco, Maine	November, 2007	Return to newsletter index

Saco Voters Approve Bond for Eastern Trail

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Saco voters said resoundingly "Let's build it!" when asked on November 6 whether to authorize $500,000 for construction of a portion of the Eastern Trail, from Thornton Academy to Cascade Road. By a 64%-36% margin, the City is now authorized to issue a bond that will only come to pass if the remainder of the project's cost - estimated at $1.28 million - is provided by the Maine DOT or another funding source within the next three years. Some facts about this portion of the Eastern Trail that will, hopefully, be built with this mix of local and federal dollars:

• The 2.25 mile section of the Eastern Trail (ET) would provide pedestrian and bicycle access from TA to such destinations as Funtown, Saco's industrial parks, Cascade Falls, the Scarborough Marsh, and on to Bug Light Park on Casco Bay.
• Saco's pledge of $500,000 would make $1.28 million in federal transportation funds available through the Maine DOT. If the DOT funding is not provided (to be decided in early 2008), then the local funding would not be utilized for the project until later DOT funding or another funding source is identified.
• TA trustees voted to allow ET users to park on campus and to add a spur trail to the ET in the historic rail corridor behind the school's athletic fields.
• Saco Bay Trails endorsed the bond. The ET will serve as a backbone trail connecting many local trails, and Saco with local trails in nearby towns.
• This Saco-specific section of the ET would be another step toward completion of the entire 55-mile off-road trail from South Portland to Kittery. Miles of the ET in South Portland and Scarborough are already complete, largely due to recognition by residents that trails are welcome investments in local neighborhoods.
• Construction of the ET falls in line with Governor Baldacci's recent initiative encouraging young people to "Take It Outside." As reported in the Portland Press Herald on August 1 of this year, "Spending time in nature -- away from activities such as playing video games and watching television -- helps young people with self esteem and building positive attitudes and bodies," said Dr. Erik Steele, chief medical officer at Eastern Maine Healthcare."
• Higher levels of biking and walking coincide with lower levels of obesity, high blood pressure and diabetes. - Bicycling and Walking in the U.S., Thunderhead Alliance, Benchmarking Report 2007 More information about the Eastern Trail can be found at www.easterntrail.org.