Questions, Praise for RAISE Road Projects

A federal grant will finance major infrastructure projects in Sanford over the next three years.

By Lee Burnett, Submissions Editor

The upcoming massive reconstruction of downtown streets through a federal grant generated all sorts of comments at a public hearing last week.

Among the topics of concern were pedestrian safety near the Maine Health campus, adequacy of plug-in outlets for food trucks along Number One Pond, bicycle connectivity, disruptions to downtown businesses and on-street parking at the dog park.

The Maine Department of Transportation hosted the hearing to gather suggestions for fine-tuning designs before the $31 million project goes out to bid. The project will be constructed in three phases beginning in 2026: Cottage Street (2026), downtown (2027) and Riverside Avenue-Oscar Emery Drive (2028). Development of a park and ride lot behind Cumberland Farms would be done at some point. The project is funded by the federal Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) program.

The session was facilitated by Ernie Martin, project manager for Maine Department of Transportation. Most of the speakers prefaced their comments with praise for the comprehensive scope of the project and couched their comments as tweaks rather than criticisms.

Mayor Becky Brink raised concern about the cost of maintaining new plantings of trees, shrubs and flowers. She also asked about the adequacy of power outlets for food trucks near the pond and sidewalks near the hospital.

Deputy Mayor Maura Herlihy asked for consideration of replacement of asphalt curbing with slipform curbing, the need for better pedestrian connectivity to and from the Maine Health campus, and the need for plug-in outlets along Mousam Promenade. She asked for better bicycle connectivity at the junction of the bike path and Oscar Emery Drive.

State Rep. Anne-Marie Mastraccio raised concerns about the adequacy of sidewalks along Cottage Street, the traffic disruption and impact on businesses, particularly along Main Street, and sufficiency of direct channels of communication about temporary traffic issues available to residents, particularly those not online.

Springvale resident Lee Burnett asked for a better view of the Number One Pond waterfall when the Washington Street bridge is widened. He reiterated Herlihy’s request for better bicycle safety/connectivity at Oscar Emery Drive and for trail connectivity at mid-block crossings.

Sanford resident Zendelle Bouchard asked to retain on-street parking at the dog park on Oscar Emery Drive, saying the lack of parking could be hazardous for dog park users, especially during winter months.

City Manager Steve Buck asked for better pedestrian safety measures at the corner of Washington Street and Main Street, where he said turning trucks are likely to ride up on curbing. He questioned the wisdom of replacing a blinking light with four-way stop signs at the intersection of Riverside Avenue and Winter Street. He asked for consideration of installing charging stations for e-bikes.

Sanford Sewerage District Superintendent Andre Brousseau urged close cooperation with affected property owners to ensure stormwater roof drains are separated from the sanitary sewer system.