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A Newsletter by the City of Saco, Maine	November, 2010	Return to newsletter index

Planning: Tri-Town Transportation Plan

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Just over a year ago the communities of Biddeford, Old Orchard Beach, and Saco, began a unique and exciting project designed to examine challenges and opportunities for transportation in our area. Funded through the Portland Area Comprehensive Transportation System (PACTS), the study kicked-off with a Tri-town Community Forum on transportation on a Saturday at the Amtrak Station. It was well attended and the ideas raised by members of the public at that forum formed the basis of the study that has taken place.

The overall sentiment at the meeting was that while roads and private passenger-vehicle based transportation would retain the largest share of funding in the Tri-Community area for the foreseeable future, the proportion of funding for transit and the proportion of funding for pedestrian and bicycle improvements should increase. These changes could improve schedules and decrease time between bus runs, as well as allow for more intensive development of non-motorized facilities.

In recent years, transportation policies have undergone a significant shift in their focus and methodology. Traditionally, transportation plans have been focused on the automobile, with the goal often being to provide additional capacity during peak hours of operation. This methodology has often resulted in significant impacts to established.

Current transportation policies in Maine are now based upon the requirements set forth in the Sensible Transportation Policy Act (STPA) and a companion guide published by MaineDOT, Handbook for Local and Inter-Community Transportation Planning in Maine, which encourages land use planning to work hand-in-hand with transportation planning, with the goal of reduced expenditures, more options for other modes of travel, and in general, more sustainable types of growth.

The communities of Biddeford, Saco and Old Orchard Beach have worked together with PACTS and a Consultant Team to craft a long-term Transportation Plan that satisfies the STPA requirements.

The project kicked off with a public forum at the Amtrak Station. The overall sentiment at the meeting was that while roads and private passenger-vehicle based transportation would retain the largest share of funding in the Tri-Community area for the foreseeable future, the proportion of funding for transit should double, and the proportion of funding for pedestrian and bicycle improvements should triple. These changes could improve schedules and decrease time between bus runs, as well as allow for more intensive development of non-motorized facilities.

Some of the plans draft recommendations: Regional Planning and Cooperation

• Create financial incentives to encourage growth in employment opportunities for residents to live and work in the Tri-Community area.
• Establish a Tri-Community Transportation Committee and update the Transportation Plan as needed.
• Land Use
• Establish mixed-use, high-density Alternative Development Districts serviced by for various modes of travel.
• Encourage development that encourages year-round employment and residences.
• Roadways/Transportation Demand Management
• Implement a joint delegated traffic movement permit process for the region (as opposed to MaineDOT).
• Complete a Tri-Community Transportation Demand Management Plan with a delegated Coordinator from each community
• Update signal timing in each community (can be part of permit process) on a regular basis.
• Complete intersection improvements already recommended in the three communities.
• Establish local truck routes with signage to encourage heavy vehicles on certain streets.
• Transit
• Improve the BSOOB Transit bus systems with GPS, additional transit stop amenities, and potential route improvements via interlining (one bus running along multiple routes)
• Provide a transit route along Routes 25/202 from Sanford to Portland to reduce driver demand in Tri-Community.

Bicycle and Pedestrian

• Provide secure bicycle storage at major transit stops (Saco Transportation Center, Hannaford, Biddeford Gateway Center, etc.)
• Examine local roadway striping and on-street parking for additional bike lanes
• The three communities, the MTA, and BSOOB can work together to improve ZOOM Bus and Park-and-Ride facilities for greater travel flexibility.
• Provide a direct connection from the Eastern Trail to downtown Old Orchard Beach.
• Convert the Eastern Trail to a bituminous surface in order to facilitate more long-distance use; the facility could be used as a bicycle highway.