Transportation Regional Assessment & Penobscot Narrows Plan

1. Transportation Regional Assessment& Penobscot Narrows Plan Presented by Jim FisherHancock County Planning Commission Machias, October 4, 2005 Bucksport, October 27, 2005 Orono, November 2, 2005

2. Long Range • Maine is aging • Service economy transition • Tourist markets shifting • NE region congested • Global shipping challenges • Workforce constrains growth • Maine regions matter • Technology and uncertainty • The process is the principle HCPC

3. Births and Deaths HCPC

4. Long Range • Maine is aging • Service economy transition • Tourist markets shifting • NE region congested • Global shipping challenges • Workforce constrains growth • Maine regions matter • Technology and uncertainty • The process is the principle HCPC

5. Long Range • Maine is aging • Service economy transition • Tourist markets shifting • NE region congested • Global shipping challenges • Workforce constrains growth • Maine regions matter • Technology and uncertainty • The process is the principle HCPC

6. Long Range • Maine is aging • Service economy transition • Tourist markets shifting • NE region congested • Global shipping challenges • Workforce constrains growth • Maine regions matter • Technology and uncertainty • The process is the principle 1998 2020 HCPC

7. Long Range Additions to Maine’s Workforce • Maine is aging • Service economy transition • Tourist markets shifting • NE region congested • Global shipping challenges • Workforce constrains growth • Maine regions matter • Technology and uncertainty • The process is the principle HCPC

8. Long Range • Maine is aging • Service economy transition • Tourist markets shifting • NE region congested • Global shipping challenges • Workforce constrains growth • Maine regions matter • Technology and uncertainty • The process is the principle HCPC

9. Maine is aging Service economy transition Tourist markets shifting NE region congested Global shipping challenges Workforce constrains growth Maine regions matter Technology and uncertainty The process is the principle Coordinate investments in the economy, transportation systems and land use. Access - physical conditions Accessibility - time & reliability Mobility - choices for freight, commuting, personal travel Safety - crash reduction Long Range HCPC

10. Coordinating Transportation and Economic Development • Define primary corridors • Map corridor assets • Identify critical issues • Economy • Land Use • Transportation • Identify future objectives • Create a new process for public involvement HCPC

11. Transportation Survey – Corridor Use and Condition • The respondents are drawn almost equally from the three planning sub-regions. • General agreement that the roads are somewhere between poor and good. • Midcoast respondents had the most positive responses. • Hancock County respondents were most critical of the roads. HCPC

12. Transportation Survey – Modes • Daily use of personal automobiles dominates • Carpooling significant but opportunistic • Would walk, ride buses or carpool if convenient. • Research into barriers warranted. HCPC

13. Transportation Survey – Important Issues • Safety and speeding most important issues • Congestion important in the midcoast and Hancock Co. • Road design and maintenance • Northeastern counties stressed maintaining rural highways. • Midcoast and Hancock County - alternative modes • Improving east-west connections HCPC

14. Prioritization HCPC

15. Penobscot River • Bucksport • Crossroads • 20 miles from everything • Multi-modal corridor • Route 15 • Route 1A • MMA - Mack Point • Guilford - Bucksport • Penobscot River – American Eagle Cruise • Traffic volumes • 4,000 to 7,000 FAADT • Connections • Route 1 / Route 3 • Route 46 Holden • Route 15 Blue Hill • Route 175 Castine HCPC

16. Penobscot River - Economy • Objectives • Support traditional industries with high quality transportation and communications infrastructure. • Improve efficiency of rail service to promote expanded use for freight. • Expand access to the Penobscot River for recreational and passenger excursions. Make the Penobscot River and Bucksport Bay a tourism destination. • Develop trails, bikeways and other alternative corridors connecting communities, schools and venues for tourism. • Promote school-town collaboration in providing community transit services. HCPC

17. Penobscot River - Land Use • Objectives • Encourage residential and commercial investment in service centers • Encourage retention of farmland, forestry and other resource-based land-uses. • Encourage safe design and location of driveways and entrances to highways to retain mobility along the arterial corridors. HCPC

18. Penobscot River - Transportation • Objectives • Improve safety standards for access to Route 15 & Route 1A. • Improve public transportation • expanded shuttle bus service, • bus service from Bucksport to Bangor, • volunteer driver and taxi services for rural residences. • Increase parking at Fort Knox, Verona Island and Bucksport if tourism increases significantly. • Weight limits on I95 should be in line with state highways. HCPC

19. Penobscot Narrows Master Plan Description • Public Involvement • Inventory of existing transportation infrastructure and services. • Inventory of existing and potential land use policies that impact transportation • Demand forecasts • Identify feasible transportation investments • Relationship to Gateway 1 HCPC

20. Penobscot Narrows Master Plan • New Bridge • Prospect Pedestrian Connections • Verona Island Pedestrian Project • Access to popular venues • Fort Knox • Bucksport Village and Riverfront • Verona Island Boat Ramp • Great Pond Mountain • Craig Brook Hatchery • Toddy Pond HCPC

21. Pedestrian Crossing HCPC

22. Verona Island Pedestrian Alternatives HCPC

23. Access to Bucksport Waterfront HCPC

24. Way-finding and Interpretation HCPC

25. Summing Up • Connect transportation, economy and land use • Think globally, act locally • Look, listen and learn • Set priorities • Support improvements HCPC