Transportation Regional Assessment & Penobscot Narrows Plan Presented by Jim Fisher Hancock County Planning Commission Machias, October 4, 2005 Bucksport, October 27, 2005 Orono, November 2, 2005

October, 2005 HCPC2 Long Range 1. Maine is aging 2. Service economy transition 3. Tourist markets shifting 4. NE region congested 5. Global shipping challenges 6. Workforce constrains growth 7. Maine regions matter 8. Technology and uncertainty 9. The process is the principle

October, 2005 HCPC3 Births and Deaths

October, 2005 HCPC4 Long Range 1. Maine is aging 2. Service economy transition 3. Tourist markets shifting 4. NE region congested 5. Global shipping challenges 6. Workforce constrains growth 7. Maine regions matter 8. Technology and uncertainty 9. The process is the principle

October, 2005 HCPC5 Long Range 1. Maine is aging 2. Service economy transition 3. Tourist markets shifting 4. NE region congested 5. Global shipping challenges 6. Workforce constrains growth 7. Maine regions matter 8. Technology and uncertainty 9. The process is the principle

October, 2005 HCPC6 Long Range 1. Maine is aging 2. Service economy transition 3. Tourist markets shifting 4. NE region congested 5. Global shipping challenges 6. Workforce constrains growth 7. Maine regions matter 8. Technology and uncertainty 9. The process is the principle

October, 2005 HCPC7 Long Range 1. Maine is aging 2. Service economy transition 3. Tourist markets shifting 4. NE region congested 5. Global shipping challenges 6. Workforce constrains growth 7. Maine regions matter 8. Technology and uncertainty 9. The process is the principle Additions to Maine’s Workforce

October, 2005 HCPC8 Long Range 1. Maine is aging 2. Service economy transition 3. Tourist markets shifting 4. NE region congested 5. Global shipping challenges 6. Workforce constrains growth 7. Maine regions matter 8. Technology and uncertainty 9. The process is the principle

October, 2005 HCPC9 Long Range 1. Maine is aging 2. Service economy transition 3. Tourist markets shifting 4. NE region congested 5. Global shipping challenges 6. Workforce constrains growth 7. Maine regions matter 8. Technology and uncertainty 9. The process is the principle Coordinate investments in the economy, transportation systems and land use. Access - physical conditions Accessibility - time & reliability Mobility - choices for freight, commuting, personal travel Safety - crash reduction

October, 2005 HCPC10 Coordinating Transportation and Economic Development Define primary corridors Map corridor assets Identify critical issues Economy Land Use Transportation Identify future objectives Create a new process for public involvement

October, 2005 HCPC11 Transportation Survey – Corridor Use and Condition The respondents are drawn almost equally from the three planning sub-regions. General agreement that the roads are somewhere between poor and good. Midcoast respondents had the most positive responses. Hancock County respondents were most critical of the roads.

October, 2005 HCPC12 Transportation Survey – Modes Daily use of personal automobiles dominates Carpooling significant but opportunistic Would walk, ride buses or carpool if convenient. Research into barriers warranted.

October, 2005 HCPC13 Transportation Survey – Important Issues Safety and speeding most important issues Congestion important in the midcoast and Hancock Co. Road design and maintenance Northeastern counties stressed maintaining rural highways. Midcoast and Hancock County - alternative modes Improving east-west connections

October, 2005 HCPC14 Prioritization TourTour ImpImp Fr ei g ht ComCom PlanPlan LinkLink CEDSCEDS ScoreScore Weight Midcoast US Route 1 (Warren to Prospect) Acadia Express (Holden to Bar Harbor) Downeast Coastal (Bucksport & Bangor to Calais) Penobscot River (Searsport to Bangor) East-West (Newport to Bangor) Penobscot Valley (Bangor to Medway) Sebasticook Valley (Newport -Greenville) Midcoast State Route 3 (Belfast to Palermo) Coastal Canadian (Eastport to Danforth) Midcoast State Route 17 (Rockland to Washington) State Route 6 (Lincoln to Vanceboro)

October, 2005 HCPC15 Penobscot River Bucksport Crossroads 20 miles from everything Multi-modal corridor Route 15 Route 1A MMA - Mack Point Guilford - Bucksport Penobscot River – American Eagle Cruise Traffic volumes 4,000 to 7,000 FAADT Connections Route 1 / Route 3 Route 46 Holden Route 15 Blue Hill Route 175 Castine

October, 2005 HCPC16 Penobscot River - Economy Objectives Support traditional industries with high quality transportation and communications infrastructure. Improve efficiency of rail service to promote expanded use for freight. Expand access to the Penobscot River for recreational and passenger excursions. Make the Penobscot River and Bucksport Bay a tourism destination. Develop trails, bikeways and other alternative corridors connecting communities, schools and venues for tourism. Promote school-town collaboration in providing community transit services.

October, 2005 HCPC17 Penobscot River - Land Use Objectives Encourage residential and commercial investment in service centers Encourage retention of farmland, forestry and other resource-based land-uses. Encourage safe design and location of driveways and entrances to highways to retain mobility along the arterial corridors.

October, 2005 HCPC18 Penobscot River - Transportation Objectives Improve safety standards for access to Route 15 & Route 1A. Improve public transportation expanded shuttle bus service, bus service from Bucksport to Bangor, volunteer driver and taxi services for rural residences. Increase parking at Fort Knox, Verona Island and Bucksport if tourism increases significantly. Weight limits on I95 should be in line with state highways.

October, 2005 HCPC19 Penobscot Narrows Master Plan Description Public Involvement Inventory of existing transportation infrastructure and services. Inventory of existing and potential land use policies that impact transportation Demand forecasts Identify feasible transportation investments Relationship to Gateway 1

October, 2005 HCPC20 Penobscot Narrows Master Plan New Bridge Prospect Pedestrian Connections Verona Island Pedestrian Project Access to popular venues Fort Knox Bucksport Village and Riverfront Verona Island Boat Ramp Great Pond Mountain Craig Brook Hatchery Toddy Pond

October, 2005 HCPC21 Pedestrian Crossing

October, 2005 HCPC22 Verona Island Pedestrian Alternatives

October, 2005 HCPC23 Access to Bucksport Waterfront

October, 2005 HCPC24 Way-finding and Interpretation

October, 2005 HCPC25 Summing Up Connect transportation, economy and land use Think globally, act locally Look, listen and learn Set priorities Support improvements Economy Land Use Transportation