Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Transportation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Route 1 plans draw heavy business and resident opposition; council to verify notices
Summary
Business owners and residents packed public comment to oppose a plan to reduce portions of Route 1 to one lane each way for bike lanes and a center turn lane, citing delivery, safety, notice and economic concerns; councilors said they will verify notice lists and revisit outreach.
SACO, Maine ' Dozens of Route 1 business owners and residents told the Saco City Council on Monday they oppose a proposal to reduce travel lanes on the corridor, arguing the change would create congestion, restrict deliveries and hurt local commerce.
Owners and spokespeople for Funtown, Seacoast RV, Jack auto group, Perle'soul Brewery and other Route 1 businesses told council the proposed lane reductions and added bicycle facilities were planned without adequate direct notice to property owners. "I only found out about this yesterday by word-of-mouth," attorney Gary Perlman read from letters submitted on behalf of multiple businesses.
Kevin Cormier, owner of Funtown, said the section is a heavily traveled state artery and urged the city to add a fifth turning lane instead of removing travel lanes. "Having 1 lane is going to incur congestion, problems, and the ability to move these vehicles properly," Cormier said, stressing recurring reliance on vehicular traffic for business viability.
Several speakers raised safety and emergency-response concerns, saying single-lane traffic could impede access for fire and rescue vehicles and make oversized commercial deliveries unsafe or impossible. Operators that receive 40-foot park models or tractor-trailer deliveries said the proposed cross-section would hamper ingress and egress.
Other commenters disputed the traffic counts in the consultant study and questioned timing, noting construction during peak tourist season would harm revenue. Some speakers pointed to the nearby Eastern Trail and asked whether access enhancements to the trail might be a lower-impact approach to supporting bicycling.
Councilor Johnston and the mayor said the city will verify the outreach list and notices and examine whether abutter-notice procedures need change. Deputy Administrator Prescott confirmed staff will verify addresses and email lists to determine who was or was not notified. Council discussion also referenced the traffic-safety committee's role and possible targeted lane changes (for example a short one-lane zone near Millbrook) rather than corridor-wide reductions.
What's next: Council plans to verify notices and continue community outreach; no ordinance or construction decision was made Monday.
