A shared use path, narrower travel lanes and more access to the Brewer Riverwalk are some of the most noticeable changes that could make Brewer’s busiest stretch of road safer.
The ideas were presented in a public meeting on Wednesday as preliminary recommendations for how the city could become safer and more accessible for drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians. The suggestions are part of the Brewer South Main Street Corridor Study, which began in February.
Brewer teamed up with the Maine Department of Transportation; Stantec, a Topsham-based engineering, architecture and environmental consultant; and the Bangor Area Comprehensive Transportation System for the project.
The study’s coverage area runs along South Main Street between Wilson to Abbott streets with a particular emphasis on two high crash locations. One is the intersection where North and South Main streets and Wilson Street meet, and the other is the I-395 on- and off-ramp along South Main Street.
Officials from Maine DOT and Stantec crafted the preliminary recommendations using feedback residents offered in recent months. At the time, several residents commented on how difficult or hazardous biking in Brewer is, as the city has no marked bike lanes.
“Even though there is a robust Riverwalk path, on the road itself, the bike infrastructure is entirely absent,” said Jessa Berna, a project manager for Stantec who presented the suggestions on Wednesday.
Perhaps the most noticeable change could be the addition of a 12-foot shared use path that’s separated from vehicle traffic on the northbound side of South Main Street. To create space for the path, the break-down lane on one side of the road could be removed while the other would remain on-street parking, Berna said.
Where I-395 connects to South Main Street, Berna offered the idea of reducing two travel lanes down to one and adding a landscaped median between the north and southbound lanes. Eliminating the dedicated turning lane onto E. West Industrial Park Road in that stretch would also prevent drivers unfamiliar with the area from mistakenly getting caught in the turning lane, she said.
To better accentuate the Riverwalk, a paved path that runs along the Penobscot River, Berna suggested adding more connections between South Main Street and the Riverwalk as well as more amenities, such as dining seating and pocket parks, along the paved path.
In the intersection where Wilson, North and South Main streets meet, Berna recommended adding additional road markings to guide drivers and add curb bump-outs to shorten crosswalks for pedestrians.
Michele Daniels, chairperson of the Brewer City Council, said she hopes the study leads to improvements that make the city safer, easier to use, and more enjoyable for residents and visitors alike.
While Brewer’s Riverwalk offers a safe and beautiful place for people to exercise and socialize, Daniels said she has spoken to several people who don’t feel safe walking or biking to the path. This, she said, should be corrected.
The study is expected to wrap up in January 2025 and final recommendations will be presented to the Brewer City Council in April, according to Berna.
Once complete, the recommendations from the study are designed to be used as a guide when improvements are made to the area in the future, according to Jacob Stein, a transportation planner for the Bangor Area Comprehensive Transportation System.
The study is happening in tandem with the Maine Department of Transportation’s Village Partnership Initiative, which allows the state to partner with communities to spruce up their downtowns using federal funding.