(OGUNQUIT, Maine) Aug. 5, 2021 – Route 1 in Ogunquit will soon feature new traffic-calming infrastructure and enhanced crosswalks as part of an Imagine People Here project on Friday, the Bicycle Coalition of Maine says.
“Crossing Route 1 can be dangerous for pedestrians,” said BCM Assistant Director Jim Tasse. “By slowing down traffic and making crossings more visible, we hope more motorists will yield to vulnerable users.”
The installation will include the addition of curb extensions and delineators as part “gateway treatments” at two locations where Route 1 intersects with Glen Avenue and School Street.
The School Street crossing has been repeatedly cited by residents as being particularly dangerous to pedestrians, the BCM says. Removing the intersection’s slip lane will not only cause drivers to slow down and make a more deliberate right turn, but it will significantly reduce the length of the crosswalk.
Like all Imagine People Here demonstrations, the installation is inexpensive and temporary, and will be removed upon the arrival of winter weather. If future speed studies conducted by the BCM prove the installation to be successful, the organization says it hopes Ogunquit will make the changes permanent next year.
This is the fifth Imagine People Here project in Maine this year, following installations on Diamond Street in Portland on May 20, in Downtown Augusta on July 13, in Portland’s Woodfords Corner on July 16, and in Mount Vernon’s village center on July 29.
The BCM is tentatively planning additional demos this summer in Millinocket, Saco, and South Portland—among other possible locations—with both AARP Maine and L.L.Bean sponsoring the program.
The Coalition’s Imagine People Here program has been working to improve safety and access for pedestrians and people on bikes in communities across Maine since 2015. More information can be found at bikemaine.org/imagine-people-here
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The Bicycle Coalition of Maine is the statewide voice of cyclists and pedestrians. Since 1992, the BCM has led the effort to make Maine better for bicycling and walking by protecting the rights and safety of cyclists and pedestrians through education, advocacy, legislation, and encouragement. We support biking and walking for health, transportation, and recreation. For more information, visit bikemaine.org.