BOOTHBAY HARBOR, Maine — The basic design of most towns is pretty much permanent, but that doesn’t stop groups like Friends of Midcoast Maine from imagining a day when the most basic form of transportation — walking — becomes a higher priority in downtown designs.
Jane Lafleur, the group’s director, said foot traffic in a downtown benefits everyone from retailers who want people walking past their shops to the physical health of those people to the environmental benefits of keeping a few cars off the road. She said recent “walkability audits” in Boothbay Harbor and Rockland by a nationally renowned consultant showed that while large-scale road and sidewalk projects are expensive, there are a lot of relatively inexpensive ways to make a big difference for pedestrians.
“We don’t want to stop traffic and we don’t want to reduce the capacity of a place to handle traffic,” said Lafleur. “We just want everyone to share the road, so to speak.”
Lafleur said Friends of Midcoast Maine partnered with the two communities recently to hire Dan Burden, a consultant with the Walkable and Livable Communities Institute who travels all over the country helping towns and cities with pedestrian issues. In late October, Burden and dozens of members of each community took a stroll through downtown Boothbay Harbor, which at times is as congested with people and vehicles as anywhere, and Rockland, particularly Route 1/Camden Street at the northern edge of the downtown.
In Boothbay Harbor, some of Burden’s recommendations were large-scale, such as the installation of sidewalks and turning lanes for vehicles and landscaped median strips. But his report also focused on numerous small investments that could be accomplished without major work, such as reconfiguring parking spots and adding style to items with basic functions.
“Boothbay Harbor embodies the quaint charm typical of a New England seaside community,” wrote Burden in his report. “As such, amenities like trash cans, light fixtures and benches should reflect a more sophisticated appearance, rather than merely serving as functional devices with a homemade look.”
In Rockland, where Burden focused on Route 1 north of Maverick Street, he recommended a variety of measures that would help pedestrians feel more comfortable walking next to one of Maine’s busiest roads. Burden said the road itself could be narrowed in some areas to accommodate a buffer between the street and sidewalk without reducing the road’s capacity. He also saw signs and utility poles in the sidewalks and what he thought were too-wide entrances to some businesses — all factors he said negatively affect the walking experience.
He also suggested that the city rethink its zoning ordinances if it wants a village feel in the area. Among the areas he flagged as missed opportunities for the city were a green space in front of a church, a restaurant without a street-side entrance and a waterfront car wash that Burden said has “the best view from any car wash in America.”
“Think about how we honor the most important places in our town and our community values of ‘access to the water,’” wrote Burden. “Become a place that sizzles, not one that stutters. A car wash at one of the best view sheds does not make sense.”
Lafleur said though Burden’s suggestions are specific, the goal of the audit and Friends of Midcoast Maine is not to tell any town what it should do, but rather to offer specific suggestions that might help those towns accomplish their goals. The friends group, which was formed 12 years ago and helps municipalities on a range of issues, is supported by grants and contributions, though Rockland and Boothbay Harbor helped with the walkability audits with either financial contributions, in-kind services or both.
“In both of these cases it’s a really bottom-up, grassroots process where we listened to what the communities want,” she said. “Then they decide what they want for their own communities. The ball is in their hands. These audits were really an effort to inspire them and for them to take charge.”
how much did rockland pay for the “walkability expert”?
Probably way more than they want anyone to find out.
Article states that cost was shared with Friends of Midcoast Maine. Whatever the cost, it is a good investment, so that any changes, pro or con, walking or vehicular, are made from a smart position: that of knowing the full range of options, knowing what not to preclude that will make the city a better place.
Walking is a smart, healthy option, especially given the limited amount of space in cities, even small ones, for any additional parking, and the growing demographic of oldsters, who cannot or do not want to drive everywhere. We are all heading there.
Oldsters as you call them can barely walk across the parking lot or get around the store without ride on carts at Walmart let alone hike all over town hauling their purchases…If the demographic continues on this trend as Maine continues to get older and kids flee for work and better oportunities in states that allow it , this “study” is a moot point and waste of money…IMHO…That is why Walmart is so popular with Oldsters…One stop , get everything they need and a ride on cart if they need it..
“Whatever the cost, it is a good investment”…spoken exactly like a person who is NOT shouldering the tax burden in rockland.
Paying a consultant, who has specialized knowledge, will often provide a net SAVINGS in the infrastructure NOT built, or poorly designed. Tens of thousands maybe in consulting fees, versus hundreds or millions for redoing roads, sidewalks, utilities. No contest. I pay a lot of taxes, not in Rockland, and I pay them gladly, if spent wisely, like it seems in this case.
Burden is a smart guy, former National Geographic photographer, he has a good eye for bike/ped concerns. The retail world is finally getting a clue that better walkability = better profits. Those interested parties should view Burden as a god, instead I have seen his ideas treated with mockery by Chamber types in two medium sized west coast cities. The car is dying a slow death, mixed use development is the answer to saving the US economy, these are obvious points but how to get there is a very complicated question
“Chamber types” —what a good phrase for “heads-in-the -sand!”
I really do not understand people continuing to invest in technologies from the past, like fossil fuels. They will smarten up, eventually, but it might take twenty years.
And folks wonder why over 50% of the state’s economy is in Portland area–because they are willing to look towards the future.
Here we go again Rockland taxpayers … which by the way I am, unlike Mr Smarten-Up who is so full of advice here. I walk nearly every day about 3 miles and have since 1976. Instead of spending money (which I’m betting included some of my own) I could have told them for free anything they needed to know. In this case all they need to do is put in light controlled crosswalks that are activated with a button push (such as the new crossing lights near the High School entrance) in order to make it easier and safer to cross Camden Street. That is it and that is all that is needed. The car wash has been there forever …. live with it. We are tired of being taxed to death for foolishness and even more tired of advice from non residents.