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Saco council tables endorsement of I‑195/Ocean Park study after residents raise access and speed concerns; study recommends roundabout
Summary
Consultants presented a multi‑year feasibility study recommending a roundabout at the end of the I‑195 spur and other safety, bike/ped and signal changes. Councilors said Saco residents had not been sufficiently notified and voted 7‑0 to table a resolution endorsing implementation until a Saco public meeting is held.
A transportation feasibility study examining the I‑195 spur and Ocean Park Road corridor—including safety, operations and multimodal accommodations—was presented Jan. 13 by consultants working with MaineDOT and the Town of Old Orchard Beach. The study team recommended a multi‑lane roundabout at the end of the spur as the preferred alternative and identified high‑crash locations on the corridor.
Don Edinger of Gorrill Palmer (the lead consultant) described two study limits: the Main Street interchange in Saco and the end of the I‑195 spur leading into Old Orchard Beach. He told the council the study used crash and traffic analyses and noted several high‑crash locations, including the eastbound off‑ramp at Main Street (52 crashes in a three‑year period, CRF 1.52) and the spur terminus/"halfway" intersection (27 crashes, CRF > 4).
Edinger said the consultant team evaluated signalized, unsignalized and roundabout alternatives at the end of the spur and concluded the roundabout best met the study’s purpose by improving safety and providing traffic calming. "After analyzing the advantages and disadvantages of each, our recommendation is to move forward with a roundabout here," he said, adding the design would include a 10‑foot multi‑use trail for pedestrians and bicycles where right‑of‑way allows and shoulder/bike accommodations through the corridor.
Cost estimates in the final report included roughly $16 million for the spur section improvements (all‑in estimate for construction, engineering, inspection and right‑of‑way) and about $600,000 for the Saco Main Street ramp improvements, the consultants said. The team told the council MaineDOT traffic engineers support the roundabout recommendation but noted design details would be refined in a later design phase.
Councilors raised multiple concerns about access and cut‑through traffic that could result if the study’s preferred option eliminated the existing straight‑through movement from the eastbound off‑ramp into Ocean Park Road. Councilor Edwards asked whether restricting the through movement could increase cut‑through traffic in local neighborhoods or the VIP parking lot; the consultant said advanced signing and future design refinements would be considered in the design phase. Several councilors said many Saco residents learned of the study only recently and asked for a Saco public meeting before the council endorses implementation.
Councilor Gunn moved that the council adopt a resolution supporting implementation and funding efforts; after discussion a later motion to table prevailed. Councilor Berman made a motion to table the resolution until after a Saco public meeting on the project; Councilor Johnston seconded. On a roll‑call vote the council approved the motion to table 7‑0. Council members and the city administrator asked staff to schedule a Saco public meeting and to provide wide notice to Ocean Park Road residents before the council again considers the resolution.
