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LINKS TO ARTICLES (OLD) FOR ARTICLES OF 2006 AND EARLIER
12 July 2006. "Wiscasset Board Socks DOT on Bypass Options" by Greg Foster in the Lincoln County News. The article begins.... Wiscasset selectmen have lacked a unified front until now on Rt. 1 bypass options but finally agreed on a stand Tuesday they express in a statement to the state Dept. of Transportation (DOT). Their plea is basically to change the location of the starting point to a location farther south and to reroute the N2 route, the preferred one, to north of the high school and include interchanges on both Rt. 27 and Rt. 218. The board is also calling for elimination of the N8c long bridge route across the Sheepscot River.... 28 June 2006. "Panel Reviews Bypass Question" by Sherwood Olin in the Lincoln County News. The article begins.... If a bypass around Wiscasset absolutely positively has to be built, then it should be built right the first time. That much members of a Midcoast Bypass Task Force meeting in Edgecomb town offices June 21 could agree on. Outside of Wiscasset's representatives, most of the participants agreed that of the alternatives still on the table, N8C, while not entirely desirable on its merits, proposed the shortest and least destructive option....
29 March 2006. "DOT Task Force Starts Rt. 1 Bypass Review" by Greg Foster in the Lincoln County News. Excerpts from the article .... The task force of public officials and area citizens that the state Dept. of Transportation (DOT) formed for input on Rt. 1 bypass alternatives met last week to launch its work in hopes of reaching consensus on one proposal.... The atmosphere was cordial among members of the newly formed Midcoast Bypass Task Force, who represent the surrounding towns affected by the proposed Wiscasset bypass, as well as concerned groups... Task force members are Doug Baston, chairman, Alna planning board; Jo Cameron, Edgecomb selectmen chair; Amanda Russell, Edgecomb planning board; Barry Johnston, Edgecomb fire/safety chief; Edgecomb alternates, Selectman Rodd Hopper and Selectman Frank Perkins. Representing Wiscasset are Selectman Bill Barnes, Town Manager Andrew Gilmore, and Don Jones, transportation committee chairman. Selectman Chairman David King is representing Woolwich, Selectman Chairman Lee Straw is representing Newcastle, and Selectman Chairman David Bertran is representing Westport Island. Organization representatives are Dr. Norma Dreyfus, vice president of Friends of Coastal Preservation; Leah Sprague, board member of Sheepscot Valley Conservation Association; and Don Hudson, president of the Chewonki Foundation. DOT representatives are Doughty and Ed Hanscom, transportation analysis. County Planner Bob Faunce is the county representative, and Klescovic is representing the FHA. 8 March 2006. "Bypass Task Force Updated on DOT Plans" by Greg Foster in the Lincoln County News. Excerpts from the article .... At meetings in Edgecomb and Wiscasset last Thursday, local officials learned about proposed Rt. 1 bypass updated designs, including an interchange onto Rt. 27 to the Boothbay Region.... If a bypass goes through, the current Davey Memorial Bridge, the second longest in the state, would remain in use for emergency vehicles and other local traffic, according to Doughty. “Local traffic
will be able to operate much like it is today,” he said. 15 February 2006. "State DOT Say Rt. 1 Tie-Ups Caused by Locals -- Not Visitors" by Greg Foster in the Lincoln County News. Excerpts from the article .... The results of state Dept. of Transportation's most recent survey reveals that Rt. 1 corridor residents' travel is the cause of major traffic flows, not out-of-staters or through traffic.... That fact is no surprise to Don Jones, chairman of the Wiscasset transportation committee, which discussed the findings of the study of origins and destinations of the Midcoast traffic at its meeting last week.... However, Jones said that a 1994 DOT-financed study revealed similar findings to the most recent one, which a team of consultants conducted last August. Although the Rockland-South survey station out of the nine stations reported that 71 percent of the usage is from in-corridor and in-region, the highest percentage in the corridor, the Wiscasset station recorded 47 percent, and the Waldoboro station recorded 43 percent. The Wiscasset station reported 59 percent of the through-trip usage as external trips, which was the highest percentage in the corridor. “External trips” are trips that begin inside a region of the Rt. 1 corridor and end outside that region or vice versa. The second finding is that the majority of summer trips on Rt. 1 in the Midcoast are by residents of the corridor (year-round and seasonal). ... The Wiscasset
station reported that 60 percent of the summer trips on Rt. 1 involved
in-corridor motorists, and the Waldoboro station reported an even
higher 71 percent. For Wiscasset, the primary residence is 87 percent of the trip-ends, and for Waldoboro, the primary resident accounts for 80 percent of them. The fifth finding is that the survey documented a strong seasonal surge in Rt. 1 drivers consistent with actual historic traffic date. The sixth finding is that most Rt. 1 drivers are middle-aged and that disproportionately few are 65 plus years old. The seventh finding is that even in the summer, a majority of vehicles on Rt. in the Midcoast have no passengers. At only two of the survey stations, Rockland-north and Searsport, a majority of the vehicles have two or more people. During the peak summer months, most of the travel involves corridor area residents, both year-round and seasonal, moving from place to place in the corridor. The DOT reported that to the extent that there are traffic problems in the corridor and more a result of the dependence of area resident on Rt. 1 for local and inter-regional travel and the arrangement of land uses that dictates how and where area residents must travel to meet their needs. Besides the corridor survey, a corridor speed study was a topic for discussion at the Feb. 1 meeting of the Gateway I steering committee in Rockland. The 85th percentile speed is the speed which 85 percent of the traffic does not exceed, according to Paul Godfrey, who distributed a set of maps including the results of the survey. Godfrey said that generally if the 85th percentile speed is within 3-4 miles of the posted speed limit, the speed situation is acceptable. If the difference is larger, it could be due to improper speed limits, road design that encourages higher speeds and other factors, according to Godfrey. The date was collected via radar gun during non-peak hours, and only free-flowing traffic was counted, he said. 12 January 2006. "Bypass Study Coming March 1" by Jocelyn Smith in the Wiscasset Newspaper. Excerpts from the article..... The draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Wiscasset bypass will be finalized and released by March 1, a spokesman for the Maine Department of Transportation (MDOT) said at a meeting on Westport Island, Wednesday, Jan. 4.... The study will contrast the environmental effects of not building a bypass with the effects of constructing each of two proposed routes: N8C and N2.... The Wiscasset bypass issue first arose in 1948, according to MDOT.... A traffic impact study carried out for Point East in 2004 revealed an average annual traffic volume increase of 2.6 percent since 1995.... 21 December 2005. "Newcastle Representation on Gateway 1 Panel" in the Lincoln County News. The article begins... Representatives from Newcastle on the Gateway 1 steering committee have met with the other towns (total 21 towns), from Brunswick to Prospect. All 21 towns were represented, and about eight state and federal officials and many alternates to the steering committee. The goal is a new way of strategic planning for Route 1 and a zone a half mile wide along it, a grassroots-up rather than a state-department-of-transportation-down approach. Phase two is starting now, with the towns in charge, the state will present the questions, the steering committee will decide what should be done, to reach a balance between all interests, that will be practical and effective.
2 November 2005. "Wiscasset Board Bumps Southern Bypass Route" by Greg Foster in the Lincoln County News. Excerpts from the article .... After much deliberation over the past several months, Wiscasset selectmen are facing the reality of no chance for a resurrection of the Rt. 1 southern bypass route across the tip of Westport Island.... Selectmen made the decision at their Tuesday meeting when they also decided to seek state Dept. of Transportation's removal of the N8 route across the Sheepscot River from upper Federal Street to the DOT sand and gravel site on Davis Island in Edgecomb from the discussion table.... 28 September 2005. "Edgecomb, Westport Island Urge Finality to Bypass Saga" by Kay Liss in the Lincoln County News. The article begins.... Like a tale from “A Thousand and One Nights," just as the Wiscasset Route 1 bypass issue looks as if it is nearing its end, another tale begins. Most recently, the boards of selectmen from Westport Island and Edgecomb sent a letter to state Dept. of Transportation (DOT) Commissioner David Cole urging the initiation of work and its agreement with the choice of the proposed northern routes over the southern ones. One of the southern routes was a proposed bridge from Westport Island to Edgecomb.... 28 July 2005. "The Road Not Taken" by Tom Walsh in the Ellsworth American Excerpts from the article which is a good summary of the status of several proposed bypasses on Route 1... That DOT study estimated 1990 summer average daily traffic volume in Camden at 14,000 vehicles. By 2002, DOT traffic counts for Camden stood at 20,000 vehicles, as compared to 26,000 vehicles in Wiscasset.... Don Jones, chairman of Wiscasset’s Transportation Committee, said there was strong local support for a bypass when the concept was first proposed in 1958 by the Maine State Highway Commission, as the DOT was known then, after completion of a new Route 1 bridge connecting Bath and Woolwich. In 1968, still seeing no movement toward a bypass, Wiscasset submitted a citizens’ petition with hundreds of signatures in support of construction. “Don’t worry,” State Highway Commissioner David Stevens assured a Wiscasset audience in 1968. “You will be driving on a bypass in five years.” Bypass planning also was derailed by the emergency closure in 1979 of Wiscasset’s Route 1 bridge to trucks over 19 tons. Repairs diverted DOT funding for a local bypass. In 1991, statewide voter approval of the Sensible Transportation Policy Act not only stopped the widening of the Maine Turnpike, but prompted DOT to pull the plug on design of a Wiscasset bypass. Instead of a bypass, Wiscasset got studies, one in 1972, another in the late 1980s. A third study begun in 1997 remains ongoing and has cost over $1 million. 13 July 2005. "DOT Officials Pursue Signage, Bypass Report" by Greg Foster in the Lincoln County News. The article begins.... Smart signs or changeable messages at the Rt. 295 intersections of Rt. 1 in Brunswick and Topsham are unlikely for another year but are in the state Dept. of TransportationÂ’s plans for mitigation of traffic on Rt. 1, especially through Wiscasset, according to a DOT spokesman. Money is available for the signs, which could cost as much as $200,000 each, as part of a statewide traffic architectural plan, including the Midcoast area, Bangor, and Portland that the Federal Highway Administration has approved, said Steve Landry, DOT assistant engineer of traffic....
25 August 2004. "Rt.1 Bypass to Address Truck Traffic Problem" by Greg Foster in the Lincoln County News. The article begins.... While working on the environmental impact statement for the proposed Rt. 1 bypass, the state Dept. of Transportation is refining its plans for the two routes on the table, according to the project manager. A public
hearing toward the end of this year is expected once the statement
is complete, as well as a 45-day public comment period the public
an opportunity for input in the process.... 23 June 2004. "Wiscasset Petition Speeds Action on Rt. 1 Slowdown" by Greg Foster in the Lincoln County News. The article begins.... Slower moving Rt. 1 traffic in Wiscasset could well be the norm, summer volume increases aside, with a selectmen's decision Tuesday to reduce speed from 45 to 35 miles per hour from the Woolwich line to the Village. Safety hazards on that section, a major concern among travelers and residents, culminated with a fatal accident recently, making it a public issue. Police Chief Mike Emmons presented a petition with 945 signatures, which helped hasten the board's approval of the speed reduction. The town has to await the state Dept. of Transportation final's approval of the measure, however. 17 March 2004. "Cars Only Bypass Dispelled" by Greg Foster in the Lincoln County News. The article begins.... If there were any hopes for a cars only Rt. 1 bypass, which the last state transportation commissioner suggested, current Commissioner David Cole has put them to bed. “I can assure you the Department is not promoting any of these concepts and that a cars only bypass is not under consideration at this time," Cole said in a March 3 letter to Wiscasset selectmen. Cole wrote
at the request of Don Jones, local transportation committee chairman,
because of concerns arising that that might be a possibility still,
since former Commissioner John Melrose had suggested it in the past....
18 February 2004. "Wiscasset Bypass Ballot Offers Only Two Choices" by Greg Foster in the Lincoln County News. The article begins... Wiscasset voters will have to make a singular choice on which bypass route they favor after selectmen narrowed the ballot so that voters will have to select from one of two options. Instead of
having to wade through four Rt. 1 bypass questions as originally
planned in a March 19 non-binding local referendum, Wiscasset residents
will now only have two routes to vote on. 7 January 2004. "DOT Nixes Town Sponsored Bypass Options -- Will Move Ahead With Other Plans" by Greg Foster in the Lincoln County News. The article begins... The state Dept. of Transportation (DOT) announced this week that it has turned down the northern citizens-initiated Rt. 1 Wiscasset bypass option and indicates intentions to move ahead with plans for its own alternatives. “The question
of hosting towns having an ultimate veto over any final decision
to build continues to be raised," Commissioner David Cole said in
a letter to the Town of Wiscasset this week.... 10 September 2003. "DOT Agrees to Report Back This Week on New Bypass Option" by Greg Foster in the Lincoln County News. The article begins... During a private session with Wiscasset leaders last Thursday, state Dept. of Transportation officials agreed to review the new citizens' Rt. 1 bypass proposal and report back this week. The decision to examine the recent six-mile long route thrown into the mix in addition to two main DOT routes on the table includes possible consideration of a couple of variations in DOT routes, according to Town Manager Larry Cilley.... 20 August 2003. "DOT Moving Ahead with Four Wiscasset Bypass Options" by Greg Foster in the Lincoln County News. The article begins... Despite
the buzz from a new citizen-proposed Rt. 1 bypass, the state Dept.
of Transportation (DOT) is moving ahead with its own four routes,
including an environmental impact statement about them, touting
them as best for the region as a whole.... 21 August 2003. "New Route 1 Wiscasset bypass plan follows path of 1958 proposed route" by Bob Kalish in the Times Record. Excerpts from the article ... WISCASSET - More than
100 residents showed up Monday night to get a glimpse of, and to
discuss, a new proposed Route 1 bypass. ... 6 August 2003. "Citizens' Alternative Wiscasset Bypass Awaits Public Review at August 11 Meeting" by Greg Foster in the Lincoln County News. Excerpts from the article ... The new route goes from the vicinity of Miss Wiscasset Diner to above the high school, cutting across Rt. 27 (Gardiner Road) and Rt. 218 (Alna Road) over Clark's Mountain and crossing the Sheepscot River near the railroad bridge to Edgecomb. It is longer but less disruptive to the community as a whole, proponents said.... There was
a question raised about the future of the Davey Bridge, which the
DOT indicated might be removed if the DOT had decided on the N8c
route, which is not currently on the table and would require a long
bridge. Don Jones, transportation committee chairman and ad hoc
committee member, said he believes it would remain if there is a
short bridge across the river at Clark's Point.... 18 June 2003. "Route 1 master plan is outlined" by Bob Kalish in the Times Record. The article begins... WISCASSET - Selectmen were assured by the Maine Department of Transportation Tuesday night that the state's master plan for the Route 1 corridor would not infringe on the town's home rule nor would it interfere with plans for a Route 1 bypass around the downtown.... 18 June 2003. "Bypass Through Wiscasset Still a Possibility According to DOT" by Greg Foster in the Lincoln County News. The article begins... Federal acceptance of a Rt. 1 Wiscasset bypass alternative could well mean a state go-ahead for one, according to a Department of Transportation (DOT) spokesperson, despite promises in the past that the DOT would not build over the communities' objections. That came as a shock to some local citizens. It seems the DOT is now taking a different stance on the bypass issue from the past, Kathy Fuller indicated to Wiscasset selectmen Tuesday. Fuller went to the meeting along with other officials to talk about the DOT's new Gateway 1 proposal linking transportation and land use decisions in 21 communities along Rt. 1 from Brunswick to Prospect. Given acceptance by the Federal Highway Administration (FHA) and the DOT itself along with endorsement of other communities, a bypass is still a very real possibility, she told people, some of whom apparently thought the bypass prospect was a dead issue.... 31 March 2003. "Feds have final say on bypass" by Bob Kalish in the Times Record. The article begins... WISCASSET - In the end, it may be the Federal Highway Administration that determines if there will ever be a bypass around the downtown village area and, if so, which of the route options would be built.... 5 March 2003. "Three Bypass Options Still on DOT's List" by Greg Foster in the Lincoln County News. The article begins... There has been a lull in local discussions about Rt. 1 Wiscasset bypass proposals lately, but behind the scenes the state Dept. of Transportation (DOT) is still working on its bypass environmental impact report. Department officials expect a draft to be ready in late spring focusing on three alternative routes still on the table, in which area towns have expressed an interest. One of the
routes referred to as N8c consists of a long bridge across the Sheepscot
River from Wiscasset to Davis Island in Edgecomb. It was the preferred
route last year, which former DOT Commissioner John Melrose touted.
The other two routes, N2-N2f and N2-N2h are routes along Clark’s
Point shoreline and cross the Sheepscot at two different points,
one in front of Clark’s Point and the other, parallel to the old
railroad bridge, respectively.... 9 December 2002. "Wiscasset strives to balance downtown, Route 1 development" by Bob Kalish in the Times Record. The article begins... WISCASSET - The heart of Wiscasset may be moving about four miles down the road, at least from the perspective of the people who live and do business here. The prospect that a new Shaw's supermarket will replace the former Ames store on Route 1 is the latest example of a trend that has residents more often abandoning Main Street to the tourists, while they do their business on Route 1 at the other end of town.... 27 November 2002. "Wiscasset residents ponder next step after bypass vote" by Bob Kalish in the Times Record. The article begins... WISCASSET - Once again a public meeting was held to discuss options regarding a proposed Route 1 bypass. This time about 38 people showed up Monday at Wiscasset Middle School to talk yet again about what the town should do to remain in control of it future, as it relates to traffic congestion downtown.... 20 November 2002. "DOT Considers Bypass Options Without Wiscasset" by Greg Foster in the Lincoln County News. The article begins... There is still the possibility of a Rt. 1 bypass although with more difficulty now in light of Wiscasset’s negative non-binding referendum vote Nov. 5, according to a state Department of Transportation spokesman. "It is still possible, I would think, for both sides of the river on a preferred alignment,” said Ed Hanscom of the DOT’s Bureau of Planning.... Hanscom also referred to the Augusta bridge, which is expected to be open for traffic by 2004. "It will be another opportunity for people traveling longer distances as an alternative to Rt. 1,” he said. Then signs can be placed on Interstate 95 informing motorists about traffic conditions along Rt. 1 and thereby cut traffic down on Rt. 1 through Wiscasset, he explained. The N2 route received the most votes in both the town and citizens’ initiative referendum. The other alternative was the N8c route, which would require a long bridge from the western side of Polly Clark Cove to the DOT’s maintenance lot in Edgecomb on Davis Island. There was
also a consensus among the agencies on a preferred route, N2h, through
Edgecomb rather than the alternative, N2f, which goes along the
shoreline.... 13 November 2002. "Rejection of Bypass Seen by Some Officials as Blow to Local Economy" by Greg Foster in the Lincoln County News. The article begins... What to do next is the question Wiscasset officials are pondering in the wake of a close vote last week against construction of a Rt. 1 bypass and rejection of two routes. None of them believe the issue is over yet and they will no doubt be considering options for days to come. 11 November 2002. "MDOT urges 'land bank' for Route 1 bypass" by Bob Kalish in the Times Record. The article begins... WISCASSET — Following residents' vote last week against constructing a Route 1 bypass, the outgoing Maine Department of Transportation commissioner urged the town to consider at least preserving land for a future project that would alleviate local traffic congestion. John Melrose, whose last day as MDOT commissioner was Friday, said in the long run the town should consider a "land bank" that would keep open the possibility of a bypass — and eliminate the need to "reinvent the wheel" — if residents became more receptive to the idea in the future.... 7 November 2002. "Voters:'No' to bypass" by Bob Kalish in the Times Record. Excerpts from the article ... WISCASSET — Residents
here voted for the "no build" option on the nonbinding referendum
to decide whether the town wants a bypass that would divert Route
1 traffic around the downtown area. But the result of the vote still
did not offer a clear indication of what townspeople want, according
to the town manager. ... The second set of questions offered three choices, one for each of the bypass alternatives and one for the no-build option. Proposed route N2 received 475 votes, proposed route N8c received 306 votes, and the no-build option received 872 votes. Maine Transportation Commissioner John Melrose, at a recent public hearing, said route N8c was the state's preferred option.... 31 October 2002. "Bypass Facts And Myths" Commentary by Lois Kwantz in Wiscasset Newspaper. Excerpts from the article... I would simply strongly urge that members of the community go to view these photosimulations of the various intersection points in Wiscasset. You will find these pictures at the WCC, the town offices in the hearing room, at the library, and on the town's website, town.wiscasset.me.us/bypass.... [this web address no longer correct] 30 October 2002. "N8c Favored as Bypass Route, According to Melrose" by Greg Foster in the Lincoln County News. The article begins... One of two Rt. 1 bypass options is not only the favorite of the state Department of Transportation (DOT) but might well be the one federal and state agencies prefer. DOT Commissioner John Melrose told 220 people gathered for an informational meeting last week that is his view as Wiscasset prepares for an advisory referendum vote Nov. 5 on the two options or a no-build alternative.... 24 October 2002. "MDOT indicates its preference on bypass route" by Bob Kalish in the Times Record. The article begins... WISCASSET — Even though residents won't cast their ballots until Nov. 5 on which bypass alternative they want, the Maine Department of Transportation has identified its preference. At an informational meeting in the high school gym Wednesday night, about 200 people heard MDOT Commissioner John Melrose say that although "it's not a slam dunk," his agency is leaning toward the route known as N8c as the preferred route for any bypass. 2 October 2002. "Voters to get virtual view of bypass routes" by Bob Kalish in the Times Record. The article begins... WISCASSET - Voters confused about the two sets of questions on the proposed Route 1 bypass that will appear on the Nov. 5 referendum ballot will have a chance to see what the bypass routes will look like from the driver's seat. That's because the town and Maine Department of Transportation are sharing the $19,000 cost of providing computer-generated "visualizations" of each bypass route at an informational meeting scheduled for Oct. 23 at 7 p.m. at the high school.... 24 September 2002. "Wiscasset bypass; same options, new ways to vote" by Bob Kalish in the Times Record. Excerpts from the article ... WISCASSET - Voters here
will face a rather confusing array of choices when they vote Nov.
5 on a proposed Route 1 bypass route. The nonbinding referendum
will contain two separate sets of questions, one created by the
selectmen, the other created by an ad hoc committee and placed on
the ballot via a last-minute petition drive.... — The other question asks, "If the Maine Department of Transportation were to construct a bypass would you prefer Option 1 or Option 2?" "By answering both questions," Phinney said, "you could end up contradicting yourself." Phinney said
the Midcoast Traffic Coalition's solution was to ask three questions
that could be answered with a simple "yes" or "no": 19 September 2002. "Wiscasset ByPass Debate Rages On" by Deanna Gordon in the Wiscasset Newspaper. The article begins... On Tuesday, September 3, 2002, there was an inter-agency meeting in Augusta between the Maine Department of Transportation (MDOT), the Department of Environmental Protection, the Maine Historical Preservation Commission, Army Corps of Engineers, Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, and the Federal Highway Administration to determine the remaining routes for the proposed Wiscasset Bypass. 31 July 2002. "Wiscasset pushes new bypass route" by Bob Kalish in the Times Record. The article begins... WISCASSET — The town's bucking of the state's proposed Route 1 bypass routes here took another twist Tuesday. Selectmen approved a request to hold a public informational meeting on a new alternate bypass route suggested by the local transportation committee. The meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday at the municipal building meeting room. Tuesday's action followed a presentation by transportation committee Chairman Paul Mrozinski. The new route would be similar to the main northern route being considered by the Maine Department of Transportation, but would take traffic out farther. "This route aligns farther north," Mrozinski told selectmen. "By making it farther, we have it crossing Route 27 beyond the high school. We hope this route would avoid the schools and reduce the number of displacements that would occur."... 11 July 2002. "Bypass talks back on track" by Bob Kalish in the Times Record. The article begins... WISCASSET — There are now two alternate bypass plans that the town and the state can agree to keep on the table. That was the conclusion presented to selectmen Tuesday night by members of the town's transportation committee and the town manager. Their report came hours after a meeting in Augusta with the interagency group that must approve any highway construction. The two routes still under consideration are variants of routes known as N2 and N8c. Also on the table is a "no-build" option, which assumes no new construction but some changes in signs and other means of improving traffic.... 18 June 2002. "'Olive branch' offered over Wiscasset bypass proposal" by Bob Kalish in the Times Record. Excerpts from the article ... WISCASSET - Selectmen met with their counterparts from Edgecomb Monday afternoon to discuss a memorandum that its creators hope will avoid a quagmire in the continuing saga of determining an acceptable route for a proposed Route 1 bypass. Nigel Calder, of the Sheepscot Valley Conservation Association, and Steve Kornacki, of the Wiscasset Transportation Committee, wrote the memorandum, in which they proposed that the town and the Maine Department of Transportation focus on one route as being the most preferred. That route is the one labeled N8c, which would require a new bridge across the Sheepscot River north of the current Davey Bridge.... The department had preferred a shorter version of the bypass route, N8d, which would not cross the river on a new bridge but instead turn south at the bank of the river and join up with the Davey Bridge. Calder said this morning that his group would prefer the new bridge from an environmental point of view. N8d, he said, would destroy any chance of developing the waterfront in that section of Wiscasset. ... The memorandum
outlines the following critical elements: — Further study of N8c would focus on two scenarios: One retaining the use of the Davey Bridge, which currently carries Route 1 over the Sheepscot River, and one that calls for the removal of the bridge.... 13 June 2002. "Melrose: Stop wasting my time" by Bob Kalish in the Times Record. Excerpts from the article ... WISCASSET — Maine Department of Transportation Commissioner John Melrose has canceled his scheduled meeting with selectmen tonight to discuss a Route 1 bypass, saying it would be a waste of time given the strong rejection by voters in Tuesday's referendum on proposed routes.... The overwhelming winner in the bypass referendum was Question 1, the so-called "non-build" alternative that called for the town and MDOT to relieve seasonal traffic congestion by "using a strategy of local and regional traffic management solutions such as traffic advisory signs, modified parking, pedestrian underpass, etc." The vote in favor of it was 569-315. The only other choice to win a majority vote was Question 6, favoring a regional comprehensive, long-term solution to the traffic congestion. None of the "build" alternatives received a positive outcome.... 6 June 2002. "Melrose: Let's get going on bypass" by Bob Kalish in the Times Record. The article begins... WISCASSET— Maine Department of Transportation Commissioner John Melrose wants the town and his department to get down to the nitty-gritty on developing a Route 1 bypass around the downtown. 21 May 2002. "State picks bypass route" by Bob Kalish in the Times Record. The article begins... WISCASSET — For a Route 1 bypass here, the Maine Department of Transportation is recommending a route that would skirt the north edge of the town's historical district and turn south along the river to connect with the Davey Bridge across the Sheepscot River. Although that route, known as N8d, is recommended by the department, Transportation Commissioner John Melrose said two other routes, N8c and N2, are "still on the table."... 14 May 2002. "Bypass Goals Set" by Susannah Cereste in the Wiscasset Newspaper. The article begins.... Members of Wiscasset's Bypass Review Committee voted unanimously last week to ask for $150,000 to hire a consultant. At the March 7 meeting, committee members heard from guests Bill Sutter (Wiscasset's harbor master) and the town's road commissioner, Woody Freeman. Local architect James Schildroth had also been invited but was unable to attend. Present were chairman Ethan Tancredi, Seaver Leslie, Steve Kornacki, Ken Rendall, Chris Cutshall, David Sutter, Bill Phinney, Don Jones, and new member, Deanna Gordon. 14 May 2002 " STATE LOOKS TO TRIM BYPASS OPTIONS" by Dennis Hoey, Press Herald The Maine Department of Transportation plans to narrow the options for building a bypass around Wiscasset village to two or three choices, the department's commissioner said Monday. John Melrose is confident that the bypass issue, which has been extensively debated for the past 18 months by various citizen committees, will be settled Monday during a public forum at Wiscasset High School. The meeting will begin at 7 p.m. [Go to Press Herald Archives for full article @$2.00 each.] 25 April 2002. "Selectmen Disband Bypass Review Committee" by Charlotte Boyton, Wiscasset Newspaper. Excerpts from the article... If the petition is successful, the referendum will be voted on at the state election on June 11. The six questions on the proposed referendum are: Question 1 - Non-Build Alternative Should the Town of Wiscasset direct the Maine Department of Transportation to relieve seasonal traffic congestion by using a strategy of local and regional traffic management solutions such as traffic advisory signs, modified parking, pedestrian underpass, etc.?... [Questions 2-4 - 4 bypass alternatives] Question 6 - Do you favor an immediate program of professional collaborative planning by the towns of Wiscasset, Edgecomb, Alna, Newcastle, Westport, the Maine Department of Transportation and Maine State Planning office to determine a comprehensive, long term traffic solution of what is best for the town of Wiscasset and for the mid-coast region as a whole? 19 April 2002. "Route 1 bypass options narrow" by Bob Kalish in the Times Record. The article begins... WISCASSET — Two proposed alternatives for the Route 1 bypass around Wiscasset have been taken off the table following a review by state and federal agencies. Maine Department of Transportation Commissioner John Melrose announced before a meeting with town officials Thursday night that the central route, known as C1 and the central northerly route via the town's Department of Public Works garage, known as N5, should "not be pursued." Melrose said several state and federal agencies have reviewed the data gathered by the department and presented to town officials from Alna, Edgecomb, Newcastle, Woolwich and Wiscasset Thursday night. The review occurred during an inter-agency review held last week. "This is part of the process," Melrose told the group. "In the case of the central route, C1, the Army Corps of Engineers, the Department of Environmental Protection, and Fish and Wildlife felt that that particular route would have too great an impact on the intertidal zone and on the historic zone. For that reason, it was suggested C1 be taken out of the running." The proposed central route starts at Route 1 north of Birch Point Road and runs east to meet up with the entrance to the Davey Bridge, where traffic could turn right to cross the bridge or left to enter Main Street downtown. This route would include a 330-foot tunnel along the waterfront. It was the tunnel and the proximity with the waterfront that was cited by the agencies, according to Melrose. {The article continued with a full description of the remaining viable bypass options.] 1 April 2002. "Wiscasset hones in on bypass options" by Bob Kalish in the Times Record. The article begins... WISCASSET — Next time the Maine Department of Transportation comes to town to discuss Route 1 bypass alternatives, the residents will be ready. At least that was the hope Saturday morning when the town's Route 1 Bypass Review Committee held a workshop and more than 100 of the town's 3,100 residents braved a stormy day to gather facts and opinions on the seven routes being considered by the department.... 14 March 2002. "Bypass Goals Set" by Susannah Cereste in the Wiscasset Newspaper. Excerpts from the article... Members of Wiscasset's Bypass Review Committee voted unanimously last week to ask for $150,000 to hire a consultant. The group ultimately voted to adopt five goals for the bypass project. The suggestions came from both Tancredi and Jones and were sometimes reworded after discussion. The first goal is to "reduce non-local traffic, especially trucks, in downtown Wiscasset." Goal number two is to "maintain the historic character of Wiscasset." Sutter said, "The Feds are not likely to fund any route through the historic district. The only reason the DOT has those routes is because they want to give you a choice, and you're not going to choose one of those. So you end up with the route they want you to have." The third approved goal is to "increase the economic development opportunities" in Wiscasset. Goal four requires the bypass to be a controlled access (rather than limited access) road to prevent growth sprawl from impairing its efficiency as an arterial highway.... Lastly, goal five will designate the bypass as U.S. Route 1, reroute trucks and stipulate a 55 mph speed limit. This narrowly passed on a 5-4 vote.... 7 February 2002. "Route, Not Money Is Bypass Issue" by Phil Di Vece, Wiscasset Newspaper. Excerpts from the article... A lot of road blocks stand in the way of the Maine Department of Transportation's (MDOT) plans for a $36 to $45 million Wiscasset bypass, the least of which is money. ... Highway Facts According to the MDOT, one third of the traffic on the Davey Bridge is southbound from the Boothbay peninsula on Route 27.Melrose said Wiscasset would still have that traffic to contend with in spite of a bypass. In 1972 approximately 15,000 vehicles a day traveled through Wiscasset on Route 1. Today that figure has grown to between 18,000 and 19,000. Although the growth of vehicular traffic has had its ups and downs over the last 30 years, MDOT estimates a 37.5 percent increase in traffic in the next 25 years. That would mean close to 35,000 vehicles a day driving through Wiscasset village. The 1991 Sensible Transportation Act requires that all options by considered before any major highway construction projects can begin. ... 24 January 2002. "Melrose asks: Tear down Davey Bridge?" by Bob Kalish in the Times Record. Excerpts from the article... WISCASSET — Add another option to the Route 1 bypass debate: Tear down the Davey Memorial Bridge and build a new one north of town. Sure, it might sound like a farfetched idea, considering the Davey Bridge over the Sheepscot River opened just 21 years ago. But the idea has some weight behind it, especially considering it came from state Transportation Commissioner John Melrose.... At issue is a statement made by Melrose last month at a meeting in Edgecomb that if a new bridge were built across the Sheepscot River north of town as part of a bypass route, then the Department of Transportation would consider tearing down the Davey Bridge, which takes Route 1 traffic over the river. "We've taken the southern routes off the table," he said. "We've agreed that what is needed is a controlled access road costing no more than $30 (million) to $40 million, and we've narrowed down the point of touchdown for any bypass to be between the base of the village on the river to the junction of routes 1 and 27 in Edgecomb. There are two towns on the river, not just Wiscasset.",,, The Davey Bridge opened in 1980 [sic] and replaced an old drawbridge that had been there since the 1920s.... [The Davey Bridge actually opened in 1983 and was dedicated to Donald Davey in 1984] 8 August 2001. "Route 1 traffic growing" by Bob Kalish in the Times Record. Excerpts from the article... WISCASSET — The northbound traffic jam on Route 1 stretched two miles from the downtown Tuesday afternoon, but the experimental traffic lights and one-way traffic pattern here will continue through Labor Day, officials said. ... Hanscom said that the annual average daily traffic flow in the Mid-coast area, as measured at the Maine Department of Transportation's permanent monitor in Nobleboro, is rising at a rate of 2 percent per year.... Although the figures were billed as preliminary, they do seem to show that the traffic lights and one-way streets are making a difference. For example a chart showing the number of vehicles per hour going through the intersection of Main and Flood streets, generally considered the edge of the downtown area, was greater on July 20 this year with 1,040 vehicles per hour than it was in July 1998 with 960. The summer of 1998 was the last summer the town used a part-time employee to direct pedestrian traffic across Main Street, or Route 1.... Following public comment, Melrose laid out the four options to be considered. One is a "village-centered" solution in which any traffic options would involve the downtown area. Another is a bypass routing traffic to the north of downtown. A third option is what Melrose described as "time-demand management," which would center on providing alternate routes for local traffic and making Route 1 for through traffic. A fourth option is to bolster alternative forms of transportation such as trains and busses. Citing the need for a "critical mass" of data to prove whether the traffic options work, Maine Department of Transportation Commissioner John Melrose told those at a hearing Tuesday night that it's necessary to continue the experiment. The goal is to determine whether the traffic lights and one-way street pattern in downtown area are alleviating traffic congestion.... 26 July 2001. "State limits bypass options" by Bob Kalish in the Times Record. Excerpts from the article... WISCASSET — The Maine Department of Transportation has taken the two proposed southern route alternatives for a bypass around the Wiscasset downtown off the table for consideration. The move means that Westport Island is no longer in the path of any new bypass option. In a memorandum sent by MDOT Commissioner John Melrose to the Public Advisory Committee and town officials of Alna, Westport, Edgecomb and Woolwich, Melrose said the two routes, designated S-1 and S-2, were too expensive. They were designed to take traffic around the downtown and across the Sheepscot River. "The costs associated with S-1 and S-2 are not warranted in relation to the needs to be addressed," Melrose said in the memo. Norma Dreyfus, Westport resident and president of Friends of Coastal Preservation, applauded Melrose's statements.... Still on the table, according to Melrose, are four routes, including one southern route, designated C-1. Nigel Calder, a spokesman for Sheepscot Valley Conservation Association and member of the Public Advisory Committee, presented his alternative to C-1 at the committee's last meeting in June. Calder is currently in Montana and was unavailable for comment. Melrose said the route and its alternative as presented by Calder "reveal a common objective of tying into the existing bridge on the Wiscasset side." "These options work for those opposed to building a new bridge," Melrose wrote, "but also accommodate those holding the view that new bridge capacity will be needed in the future and could be located next to the existing bridge." He said his staff would be directed to examine all possibilities and recommend the best alternative.... Other options
outlined in the memo include two northern routes that would require
a new bridge over the Sheepscot River between the existing bridge
and the Newcastle-Edgecomb border. Two other northern routes were
discarded earlier. The remaining alternatives would require replacement
or rehabilitation of the Sheepscot Village bridge, or its complete
replacement. 11 July 2001. "Wiscasset haggling over six new lights" by Bob Kalish in the Times Record. Excerpts from the article... WISCASSET — Lois Kwantz, who lives on Middle Street and runs a crafts store there, said she's disappointed with the Maine Department of Transportation's delays in turning on six new traffic lights aimed at relieving summer traffic through town.... The department
has installed traffic lights at the intersection of Main and Middle
streets, and at the intersection of Main and Water streets. Water
Street west of Main now is one-way going west, while Middle Street
is one-way going east on both sides of Main Street. 4 July 2001 "
WISCASSET BYPASS ROUTES OFFER A BROAD RANGE OF ALTERNATIVES
The state should consider the impact on communities and the environment
as well as traffic." You
can say one thing about the road planning process in Wiscasset:
it puts the thorough back in thoroughfare. The Department of Transportation
has narrowed a list of 12 possible Route 1 bypass alternatives in
Maine's "prettiest village" to six. Narrow, however, isn't the right
word. The options include a 7-mile road north of Wiscasset that
crosses the Sheepscot River near the Edgecomb-Newcastle town line,
a 3,000-foot tunnel diverting Route 1... [Go to
Press
Herald Archives for full article @$2.00 each.] 28 June 2001. "Two bypass options pass local muster" by Bob Kalish in the Times Record. Excerpts from the article... WISCASSET
— A group that has been hostile toward any bypass around the village
center Wednesday night presented two new bypass options designed
to alleviate Route 1 traffic. "I am opposed to any bypass in general," Calder said, "but these two (new) routes are two that I can live with. I'll fight it all the way, but I can live with it. It gets the job done." The Midcoast Alliance for Planning is a coalition of several groups from the area surrounding Wiscasset that oppose building a bypass that would require new roads and bridges. Calder told the public advisory committee that if a bypass is built as proposed by the Maine Department of Transportation, valuable wetlands and open areas will be threatened. He said that the options he presented don't require a new bridge to be built over the Sheepscot River and would impact the environment much less than the routes a Maine Department of Transportation consultant has proposed. "East and north of the river," Calder said, "there is about 10,000 acres with no roads cutting through it." Calder said his group is definitely opposed to building a new bridge and that the two options he has proposed, one north, the other south, would "get the job done" without building another bridge. "We haven't done the engineering," he said, "but based on prima facie evidence, these routes would have less of an impact on the environment, especially the wildlife corridor that exists on the east side of the river." Calder's presentation was followed by a standing ovation from a crowd of more than 100 who sweltered in the middle school cafeteria. The majority of the crowd was from the Midcoast Alliance for Planning coalition opposing a bypass. During the meeting, Maine Department of Transportation Commissioner John Melrose had a quick retort to a statement from a member of the audience claiming that the department was biased towards a bypass. "I resent the implication that we are not open-minded," Melrose said. "This department has an obligation to listen to all views. That's what this meeting is about." But Calder said this morning that he is skeptical of the department's intentions. "The route they are proposing that goes north is still on the table, and it is mind-bogglingly bad," Calder said. Calder said his group would like to see traffic alleviated without any new roads or bridges. But if a bypass has to be built, he said, it should be built with the least impact on the environment. "I would actually prefer a tunnel," he said. At the meeting Wednesday night, the public advisory committee whittled down a list of 14 options to three northern routes, two southern routes and one tunnel. The Department of Transportation will research further these alternatives before meeting again with the Midcoast Alliance for Planning. The transportation department is mandated by law to meet with local communities before embarking on any major project and to hear alternatives. Calder said that the inclusion of the northern route proposed by the consultant even after Wednesday's meeting makes him question the department's agenda. "Any rational
process would have eliminated that route from consideration," Calder
said. 27 April 2001. "Governor's office enters Route 1 fray" by Bob Kalish in the Times Record. Excerpts from the article... WISCASSET
— The governor's office has entered a fray about how to best deal
with traffic congestion on Route 1. Two months
ago, the department proposed installing two temporary traffic lights
on Route 1 at the intersections of Middle and Water streets. But
to do that, the town would have to vote to change the traffic patterns
on the side streets to one-way. 12 October 2000. "The Bypass: 'Other Side Has Been Drowned Out' " by Paula Gibbs, Wiscasset Newspaper. Excerpts from the article... The first public example of the overwhelming opposition to building a bypass around Wiscasset, an issue that was first discussed over 40 years ago, came at the so-called scoping meeting held by MDOT in May at the Wiscasset Middle School. It is estimated that between 400 and 500 people attended.... ...A similar, non-binding referendum was put before the voters in 1990: "Would you like to see a Route 1 bypass around the town of Wiscasset?" The towns of Alna, Boothbay, Boothbay Harbor, Bristol, Edgecomb, Southport, Waldoboro, and Wiscasset all said yes. "I think there is less of a sense of urgency now than in 1990, since our downtown has changed so much," Rines said, referring to the closing of Pendleton's Market, and a continuing trend to antique shops and restaurants.... Referring to the 1990 poll, [Don] Jones said, "We asked this question 10 years ago. Now we just want to ask them if they feel the same way. Referring to the "half a million dollar study now underway," Jones said, "We were involved in another half a million dollar study seven years ago, and that showed the most that traffic could be reduced, without a bypass, would be less than one percent...." 27 September 2000. "Route 1 bypass goes to voters" by Bob Kalish in the Times Record. Excerpts from the article... WISCASSET — At the urging of Wiscasset selectmen, Lincoln County commissioners have sent letters to selectmen in their towns urging them to put on the Nov. 7 ballot a nonbinding question aimed at gauging support for a Route 1 bypass around Wiscasset.... The recommended
wording for the nonbinding referendum question is: "Would you support
a Route One Bypass to avoid traffic congestion in Wiscasset?" ... 5 July 2000. "Groups: Halt Route 1 projects" by Bob Kalish in the Times Record. The article begins... WISCASSET — A group of conservationists and land trusts from Belfast to Brunswick are calling on the state to put on hold two Mid-coast transportation projects: the Route 1 Corridor Study, formerly known as the Wiscasset Bypass Study, and the Route 1 widening in Warren. The group wants the Maine Department of Transportation to come up with a comprehensive plan that takes into consideration alternatives other than increasing the number of highway lanes. The group made its request Monday in a letter to Department of Transportation Commissioner John Melrose. Melrose is on vacation this week and had not seen the letter, a DOT spokesman said today. The group is composed of the Sheepscot Valley Conservation Association, Coastal Mountains Land Trust, Georges River Land Trust, Chewonki Foundation, Lower Kennebec Regional Land Trust, Damariscotta River Association, Friends of Merrymeeting Bay, Medomak Valley Land Trust, Natural Resources Council of Maine, Conservation Law Foundation, Hydrogen Energy Center, Al Railsback, Friends of Coastal Preservation, Route One Advocacy Group, Steve Cartwright and Chris Marshall. In the letter, the group calls upon the transportation department to come up with a long-term regional transportation plan that recognizes "the full impact of highway developments on regional communities, natural resources, habitat conservation and the environment." The letter states that such a plan "must explicitly reject any concept of renovating the highway system in isolation from, and at the expense of, protecting our core regional and environmental values and resources." Nigel Calder, spokesman for the group, said a meeting is planned for July 10 at 10 a.m. at the Chewonki Foundation here to set up a Mid-coast alliance. "We're trying to get the MDOT to look at the big picture," Calder said. "The Topsham bypass, the Route 1 Corridor Study (including the Wiscasset bypass option) and the widening of Route 1 in Warren have all been treated by the MDOT in isolation from one another." The group acknowledged the department's "sincere efforts" to lessen congestion along Route 1, but said the current approach needs to be replaced with a regional approach that would: – Include all regional constituencies in the planning process – Explicitly recognize the need to protect the way of life, natural resources and environment on all impacted communities – Require implementation of viable alternatives to lessening traffic congestion – Take into account long-term consequences of any changes – Accept that there may be limits on how far it is possible to solve transportation problems without destroying core regional assets and values. The letter is an outgrowth of the public meeting the transportation department held here May 24, at which time the agency changed the name of the proposed Wiscasset project from the Wiscasset Bypass Study to the Route 1 Corridor Study in response to public feedback... . 21 June 2000. "State taking steps to ease Wiscasset traffic clogs" by Bob Kalish in the Times Record. The article begins... WISCASSET — Following a hearing, selectmen Monday night adopted most of the steps recommended by the Maine Department of Transportation to help alleviate traffic congestion here this summer. The one recommendation selectmen passed over was the transformation of Water and Middle into one-way streets. First Selectmen Ben Rines Jr. said the transportation department expects to complete the changes by the Fourth of July. "This will help some," Rines said, "but not a whole lot." The transportation department will: – Build a raised island in the middle of Main Street (Route 1) to serve as a pedestrian refuge. – Change parking on Main Street from perpendicular, meaning 90 degrees, to diagonal, meaning 60 degrees. – Create two left-turn lanes on Main Street, one northbound at Middle Street, the other southbound at Water Street. About 35 people showed up at the hearing before the selectmen's meeting. Rines said the feedback supported all the ideas except the one-way streets. "We tried that about 20 years ago," Rines said. "The business community didn't like it then and it lasted a year before we went back to the regular traffic patterns." 25 May 2000. "Melrose strikes 'bypass' from DOT study's name" by Bob Kalish in the Times Record. Excerpts from the article... WISCASSET — Addressing about 300 people Wednesday night, Maine Department of Transportation Commissioner John Melrose tried to diffuse an uproar about a possible state bypass around the town's village. Melrose opened the "scoping" meeting at the middle school gym by citing what he described as three misconceptions about the state's project: — The bypass is a foregone conclusion and the process is being accelerated by the department. — Alternate routes already have been selected. — The department is fixated on new highway construction. The truth, Melrose said, is that the decision on whether to build a bypass will take at least two years to finalize, that there have been no new highway routes determined and that the department is "committed to finding alternatives when possible." "We just spent $30 million on getting a railroad line between Boston and, eventually, Rockland," Melrose said. "We felt that it was money well-spent because it will take pressure off Route 1." On the other side of the fence were groups that do not want a bypass: Friends of Coastal Preservation, headquartered in Westport; and the Sheepscot Valley Conservation Association, out of Alna. 24 May 2000. "Wiscasset: Traffic relief, please" by Bob Kalish in the Times Record. Excerpts from the article... WISCASSET — It was standing-room only at the selectmen's meeting Tuesday night as the Maine Department of Transportation put forth some of its ideas on relieving the summertime traffic congestion in the downtown. Kathy Fuller, the department's assistant director of planning, Ed Hanscom, project manager, and Doug McCobb, chief engineer, outlined the state's short-term solution: — Build a raised island in the middle of Main Street, or Route 1, between Middle and Water streets to serve as a "pedestrian refuge." — Change the parking on Main Street from perpendicular parking to diagonal, with a 60-degree angle replacing the 90-degree one currently in use. — Create two left-turn pockets or lanes on Main Street, one northbound at Middle Street, the other southbound at Water Street, with no left-turn restrictions at the other intersections. — Change traffic patterns on Water and Middle streets by making Water Street one way southbound north of Main Street and Middle Street one way northbound north of Main Street. McCobb said that the transportation department could have the necessary work done in "two or three days." "What would take time," McCobb said, "is getting the town to approve changes in ordinances to allow the one-way streets." First Selectman Ben Rines Jr., wasn't very optimistic about changing traffic patterns. "We tried that about 20 years ago," he said. "And it worked fine for a year, but the business community didn't like it and we went back to the way things were, which is the way they are now." ... Rines said he was all for the proposed changes, but he wanted to make sure the state didn't use these changes to replace plans for a bypass around the village. "We need the bypass," Rines said. "And I hope the DOT doesn't think our problems here during the summer are going to be solved with a traffic island and diagonal parking." He was assured by Hanscom that the changes in downtown traffic patterns would not "solve the larger problem." "You may not notice much of a difference," Hanscom said. "But these changes can save seconds. For example, it takes less time to pull out of a 60-degree parking space than from a 90-degree space. So the difference between 12 seconds and eight seconds is only four seconds. But that adds up as each car pulls in and pulls out." 4 May 2000. "A Bypass? Or A Tunnel? Or A Bypass Somewhere Else?" by Paula Gibbs, in the Wiscasset Newspaper. The article begins... As residents of Westport struggle to fight off what they fear may be a favored Wiscasset bypass route across their island, Governor Angus King wants to know whether a tunnel in Wiscasset might work better. Steve Hanscom, project manager for the Wiscasset Bypass Study, confirmed Tuesday that he has before him a proposal from a firm "that has a very good reputation" when it comes to building tunnels. The state is going to investigate the feasibility, possible locations, and costs of building and maintaining a tunnel, Hanscom said. "The governor would just like to make sure this is considered," Hanscom said. Asked whether this would be a tunnel for vehicles or a pedestrian tunnel like the one now being built in Woolwich, he said, "I believe in this case, we're talking about a vehicle tunnel. ... 14 September 1999. "WORK DUE TO BEGIN ON TUNNEL FOR PEDESTRIANS; THE LARGEST PEDESTRIAN TUNNEL IN MAINE WILL HELP WOOLWICH RESIDENTS CROSS FIVE LANES OF TRAFFIC" by Dennis Hoey in the Portland Press Herald. Excerpts from the article..... Pedestrians who try to cross Route 1 when the new Sagadahoc Bridge opens next July won't have to dodge five lanes of traffic. 31 October 1997 "NEIGHBORS CHEER PEDESTRIAN TUNNEL FOR WOOLWICH" by Dennis Hoey in the Portland Press Herald. Excerpts from the article..... The State Department of Transportation announced this week it will spend up to $500,000 to bridge the gap between the post office - on one side of Route 1 - and the roughly 20 homes at Sagadahoc Ferry, on the other side. The solution: building an 85-foot-long, lighted pedestrian tunnel under Route 1. 30 July 1996 " STATE PLANS STUDY OF WISCASSET BYPASS PROJECTS" By Dennis Hoey, Press Herald. The state plans to study whether it should build a highway around downtown Wiscasset and a bridge over the Sheepscot River, the transportation commissioner said. In a letter to Wiscasset officials, Commissioner John Melrose said he will include money - the amount is uncertain - in his biennial budget that takes effect July 1997 to study potential bypass alignments, figure out how much private property the state would have to take, and determine the environmental impact. [Go to Press Herald Archives for full article @$2.00 each.] 19 July 1983 "Engineers probe for ways to build a better bridge" by Scott Armstrong in the Christian Science Monitor. Excerpts from the article.... "...The tougher. less-porous material - concrete mixed with plastic polymers -.is one of a growing number of subtle changes in bridge construction that will help tomorrow's structures • The $8.5 million structure is made of prefabricated concrete sections. Prefab bridges - with secti()ns cast in the factory and then hoisted into place - ... The Sheepscot bridge (the first in New England to incorporate these new construction techniques, although similar structures have been used in the South for years) has some added touches to protect against saltwater and Maine winters. The concrete support pillars plunging into the frothy tidal bay are sheathed in granite. Granite curbs will line the roadway on top of the bridge, Both the sheathing and the curbs will help prevent exposure to water seepage, as will the veneer of latex-laced concrete that will eventually top the road surface itself.... The old Wiscasset bridge - a rickety mix of
wood and steel - withstood cars and climate for 50
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