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Committee backs interlocal agreement to advance 26‑mile Casco Bay Trail corridor
Summary
Portland staff presented a draft interlocal agreement to create a regional Casco Bay Trail board; the committee voted to recommend the agreement and a resolution of support to City Council while noting the city’s current $15,000 CIP local match and that future funds would require separate council approval.
The Transportation & Sustainability Committee recommended that City Council approve an interlocal agreement and a resolution supporting the Casco Bay Trail, a proposed 26‑mile corridor connecting Portland and Auburn.
Assistant City Manager Greg Jordan summarized the draft agreement, saying it would create a regional board of supervisors with one voting member per municipality, non‑voting partners and at least a 20‑year term to coordinate planning, grant applications and potentially construction. Jordan said MaineDOT has designated the Berlin Subdivision rail corridor as a trail corridor and allocated $600,000 for preliminary planning work; Portland’s current capital improvement program includes up to $15,000 to cover the city’s portion of the local match for MaineDOT’s $600,000 allocation.
Jordan emphasized that forming the board and entering the agreement would not obligate Portland to future funding beyond what the council separately approves: "forming the board and entering into this process does not obligate the City of Portland to contribute any future funding," he said. Representatives from the Casco Bay Trail Alliance and regional partners described the project as a way to link Portland to multiple statewide trail systems and said Auburn has already passed the interlocal agreement.
Committee members discussed potential fundraising approaches, the possibility of private donations and the estimated project cost referenced by a member as up to $55,000,000 with an anticipated 10% local contribution. The committee voted to forward the interlocal agreement and resolution to City Council for approval.
Staff noted that any requests for local funding from the board would follow standard municipal budgeting processes and require council appropriation.
