Archived News

By Michael Kelley Staff Writer

With Army Corps of Engineers and Maine Department of Environmental Protection approval in hand, it’s a “critical year” for a long-term project to connect the Eastern Trail between the Nonesuch River in Scarborough and the Wainwright Farm Recreation Complex in South Portland.

So says Scarborough Town Planner Dan Bacon.

“Completing this corridor would finally connect Scarborough, Old Orchard Beach, Saco and points south all the way to South Portland and Portland,” Bacon said at a town council workshop last week.

Although only 1.6 miles long, making the connection between the two communities has been, according to Scarborough Town Manager Tom Hall, a “daunting task,” in part because it requires building bridges over the Nonesuch River and Pan Am Railways tracks.

Bacon said finding a connection that works “without bumping into” private property has been challenging. Thus the proposed trail alignment follows a Central Maine Power corridor by Pleasant Hill Road before heading toward Prout’s Pond toward South Portland and eventually into the Wainwright complex. An alignment that passed by the pond prior to joining Highland Avenue and Gary L. Maietta Way was ultimately scrapped because of safety concerns for trail users.

The challenge at hand now is funding the roughly $3 million project, including the costs of the Nonesuch River Bridge ($75,000+) and railroad bridge ($700,000 to $1 million). The northern stretch – approximately 4,200 feet from Wainwright to Pleasant Hill Road – has been funded thanks to a grant from Portland Area Comprehensive Transportation System (PACTS) and local shares from Scarborough and South Portland. Funding for the southern half, which includes the two bridges, is still up in the air, but PACTS and the Maine Department of Transportation (DOT) have promised to fund sizable shares.

“The DOT sees this as the most important bike/ped project in the state right now and has dedicated almost half of the funding because of that feeling,” Bacon said.

The DOT has committed $1.5 million to the project and PACTS has committed another $650,000. The local share of the project from Scarborough and South Portland would be $216,000, meaning another $700,000 would have to be raised from other funding sources.

Despite the funding situation, Bacon said, “we are certainly much closer than we were.”

Bacon said officials are “courting organizations like Hannaford, Iberdrola (CMP’s parent company) and Cianbro for funding or in-kind donations.

Read the full article online here.

This article, written by Saco City Planner Bob Hamblen, appeared August 2016 in the City of Saco’s “Pepperrell Post” newsletter

Walkers, bicyclists and runners using the Eastern Trail in Saco have one more reason to get out and enjoy the trail: a new water fountain and water bottle fill-up station has been installed on the trail just off Mill Brook Road.

The new water station, a first along the twenty miles of Eastern Trail that runs from Bug Light Park in South Portland to Rte. 35 in Kennebunk, is the result of local trail users asking, “could a water fountain be installed on the trail? It’s hot out out there and we’re thirsty!” Eastern Trail Alliance trustee Bob Lanigra, a former Saco resident who now lives in Scarborough, met several people along the trail who mentioned how welcome a source of water would be, particularly in warm weather.

Lanigra first looked into a possible fountain location off Pine Point Road, near the Scarborough Marsh. Water service was not available off the exiting parking lot that services trail users. His search for a suitable location headed south, to a section of trail that is owned by the Maine Water Company.

“Maine Water was very open to working with us when they heard about the water fountain idea,” said Lanigra, a long-time runner and cyclist who participated in his 24th Trek Across Maine in June. “They own the property where Mill Brook Road narrows to an entrance to the trail, and were willing to do the installation if we bought the fountain.”

Lanigra swung into action. He contacted Maine Molecular Quality Controls, Inc., which recently completed a new building in the City’s Mill Brook Business Park. Joan Gordon, president of MMQCI, is a fan of the Eastern Trail, and in fact chose the Mill Brook location due to its proximity to the trail. Ms. Gordon confirmed her support for the fountain by offering to pay half the cost of the new unit.

Who would pay for the other half of the new fountain? Lanigra, who retired from a career in sales, next approached the Chiropractic Family Wellness Center in Scarborough, whom he is familiar with through his interest in running. They were willing to help with the project by contributing the remainder of the cost.

Maine Water Company then needed a base for the fountain to be installed on. They reached out to a vendor, American Concrete Industries, Inc., of Auburn, which was willing to donate a concrete base. With that, the fountain was ordered, and in a few weeks time, a Maine Water crew installed the base, made the connection to an existing water main, and the fountain was dropped into place.

“I was by the fountain last week, and while I was there two people stopped and drank and filled their water bottles,” said Carole Brush, executive director of the Eastern Trail Alliance. “They said they really appreciated having the fountain available.”

Thank you to all who made Saco’s newest “hydration station” a reality. Let’s put that fountain to good use!

Posted: Thursday, November 19, 2015 11:38 am – By Kate Irish Collins

Images of snowy egrets, glossy ibis and great blue herons, along with other marsh animals, now grace a new art installation along the Scarborough Marsh section of the Eastern Trail.

The new informational sign, which was created by local artist Jada Fitch, teaches trail users about the various marsh animals, as well as offering a bit of information about the marsh itself, including its historic Native American name – Owascoag, or Land of Many Grasses.

The sign is located just north of the bridge over the Scarborough River in a spot that overlooks a bend in the river, which is a popular spot for bird watching.

The goal of the project is for the artwork to “mimic what you see” out on the marsh, according to Bob Bowker, vice president of the Eastern Trail Alliance and a Scarborough resident.

“We just thought it would be a good enhancement to the trail,” he added.

The interpretative sign is the first in a series that the trail alliance has planned, Bowker said.

The next sign will likely be placed on the Biddeford section of the Eastern Trail, which runs from Kittery to Bug Light in South Portland and which is part of the larger East Coast Greenway.

The signs are being paid for through a $7,000 donation that the trail group received anonymously last fall, Bowker said.

There were no strings attached to the money, and, Bowker said, trail overseers agreed that creating and installing interpretative signs depicting the wildlife that can be seen along the Eastern Trail, as well as sharing trail history, would be a good use of the funds.

Bowker said the sign recently installed on the Scarborough Marsh section of the trail meets National Park Service standards and should therefore stand the test of time.

He also said trail overseers were “very happy” with Fitch’s work and said the alliance is “considering further collaborations with Jada.”

Bowker said that while most of the feedback on the new interpretative sign has been from Eastern Trail board members, overall it’s been “very well received and we will definitely be doing more of these.”

Read the entire article online here.

And as the days grow shorter, remember to make yourself visible in the dark if you’re walking or biking.

By SHOSHANA HOOSE – Posted October 25

[Ed. note: Be sure to read this entire article – the Eastern Trail is specifically mentioned near the end]

You can do two things in the next week and a half to improve bicycling and walking in Maine.

First, vote for the $85 million state transportation bond on the November ballot. A small portion of that money will pay for bicycle and pedestrian improvements. Read on to learn details.

Second, ask those running for office in your city or town where they stand on bicycling and walking issues. For example:

• Does your town have a plan to create more multi-use trails and/or bike lanes?

• Would candidates support using local funds to match state and federal money so that your town qualifies for new sidewalks, improved crosswalks and other infrastructure?

• Do they support having your city or town adopt a Complete Streets policy that takes into account the needs of all users, not just motorists, when planning road projects?

• What would they do to improve your village center or downtown so that more people can walk and bike to do shopping and other errands?

• How would they make transportation in your town or city more accessible for Maine’s aging population?

Just asking those questions will get candidates thinking about the needs of pedestrians and cyclists. If they’re elected, you’ve already begun a relationship that you can build on as issues arise.

The state transportation bond on the ballot includes $68 million for roads and bridges. The Maine Department of Transportation (DOT) adopted a Complete Streets policy last year that requires all road and bridge projects to be built with bicyclists, pedestrians and other non-vehicle users in mind, in addition to motorists.

Anyone who has crossed the Martins Point Bridge between Portland and Falmouth or the Veterans Bridge between Portland and South Portland can see how that approach pays off. Both bridges have wide paths for cyclists and pedestrians that are separated from the roadway.

Last session, the Maine Legislature considered a bill sponsored by Sen. Cathy Breen, D-Falmouth, that would have set aside $13.9 million of bond money for standalone bicycle-pedestrian projects. Had it passed as proposed, it would have allowed the state to move forward with 50 projects. Maine DOT already has approved many of those projects, and local matching funds have been allocated.

In the final weeks of the session, legislators combined all of the transportation bond bills into a single one that does not specifically allocate any money for bicycle-pedestrian projects.

Instead, it says that $17 million of the bond will be used for “ports, harbors, marine transportation, aviation, freight and passenger railroads, transit and bicycle and pedestrian trails” – in other words, everything other than roads and bridges.

If the bond passes, DOT will have discretion about how to spend the $17 million. Deputy Commissioner Jonathan Nass said one project that might be funded is a segment of the Eastern Trail between the Nonesuch River and Pleasant Hill Road in Scarborough. That would provide a continuous segment of the bicycle and pedestrian trail from South Portland to Saco. DOT would provide up to $1.5 million in matching funds for the trail.

Read the entire article online here.

Shoshana Hoose is a freelance writer who bicycles in Greater Portland and beyond. Contact her at shoshanahoose@gmail.com.

Opinion – Fosters.com – A service of SeacoastOnline.com – Posted Oct. 14, 2015

A review of great places to go and things to do to enjoy the colorful fall foliage in southern Maine, including on and around the Eastern Trail!

Ah, October. That time of year is finally here again. Time to take in the bold and beautiful colors of fall. There’s plenty to do in our area during the fall season, but if you’re looking for a relaxing, leisurely adventure, take a drive and enjoy the foliage.

Here in Sanford-Springvale, there are plenty of sights to see, from the five brilliant maples at Holdsworth Park, also known as the REC, in Springvale, to the canopies that provide endless shade along the miles of the Mousam Way Trail. All you have to do is leave the downtown or the overall, populous stretch of Main Street, and you’ll find all sorts of small neighborhoods and quaint, winding rural roads brought to life with the kaleidoscopic hues of autumn.

This being New England, the season’s breathtaking sights do, of course, extend well beyond Sanford and Springvale. Our sister newspaper, the York County Coast Star, has compiled a list of foliage faves throughout southern York County that would make for a nice weekend drive or even a relaxing long way home from work. We offer that list below for your enjoyment.

Route 35

Pick up Route 35 just beyond the highway in Kennebunk and head north, passing the Kennebunk Elementary School on your right. The countryside here winds and undulates, past antique farm houses and newer homes. Horses nibble grass in their pastures and above it all, the leaves are displayed in all their glory. If you have more time to spare, continue up 35 through Lyman to the little hamlet of Goodwin Mills, where the church and mill pond coupled with the foliage give the feeling of a quintessential New England village in autumn.

Read the entire article online here

Multi-use paths are being added to cities across the country at an exciting rate and more people are using them. That’s a great thing. But crowding can lead to conflict. To stay safe, and make the experience more enjoyable for everyone, here are a few guidelines for blisfully sharing bike paths with fellow cyclists, joggers, dog walkers, and everyone else.

1. Get out of time-trial mode, duh. It’s fun to go fast, but a bike path isn’t the place to seek a KOM. Yes, you can crank things up a bit if you have clear sight lines and few other users but, as a general rule, keep it under control.

2.  Ride right, pass left. Act like a car in these situations. Right for travel, left for passing. And, of course, obey all traffic signals.

3. Slow down—and be prepared to stop—when there are others around. People are unpredictable. Kids and pets especially, but the truth is, anyone can be so involved in a conversation or wrapped up in their own thoughts that they’ll make a bad choice even if they hear you coming. Slow to a walking pace and keep your hands on your brakes.

4. Make some noise well before passing. A bell is more charming(and less startling) than an “on your left!” but either is preferable to a stealth pass. Make noise—be sure you’re heard—well before you reach the person you’re passing.

5. Look around (and signal!) before passing or stopping. Just because you’re doing it right doesn’t mean everyone else is. Before you swing left to pass or hit the brakes to stop, throw out a hand signal, and take a look behind you for oncoming traffic.

6. Don’t stand in the path. Sometimes it’s nice to stop and look around and take a drink. Pull off the path when you do so, otherwise you’ll block the way for everyone else. 

7. Be nice. It’s the most important thing. You’re representing cyclists as a group. Don’t be a stone-faced automaton hell-bent on maintaining your 19.5 mph pace. Treat people the way you want to be treated. Be friendly. Wave. Say hello. It will make all of our time on these super paths a little more fun.

Read the entire article on-line here.

By LIZ GOTTHELF, Staff WriterA new local initiative, Treetops & Rooftops GIS, is bringing on demand tours of local points of interest.

Treetops & Rooftops, an initiative of Saco Bay Center for Civic Engagement and created by volunteers, has developed a pilot program with three audio tours – historical tours of Pepperell Park in Saco and The Pier in Old Orchard Beach and an audio drama that takes place at a segment of the Eastern Trail in Biddeford behind Southern Maine Health Care.

The tours can be found by going to the Saco Bay Center for Civic Engagement website, www.sacobaycenter.org. Project leader Melissa Field secured the use of a mapping system developed for the Eastern Trail to allow smartphone users to access the audio tours.

“You can take the tour anytime,” said Fields.

Local historian Catherine Glynn worked with students from Katy Nicketakis’ French class at Thornton Academy to develop and narrate the Pepperell Park tour, which includes history of the park and a poem written in 1900 by William Grant Brooks.

The tour was translated by Thornton Academy French students as a class project, and narrated in French by two student volunteers.

Thornton Academy senior Taylor Lamarre said she volunteered last school year to dictate part of the recording because she wants to become more fluent in French.

Lamarre said the project was a lot of fun to work on and she learned a lot about Saco.

“It sounds really, really good: Better than I expected,” she said. “I think it’s really cool that a lot of people are going to be hearing this.”

Read the entire article online here

This year’s Maine Lighthouse Ride will feature some very special guests. More than 60 riders from Team In Training – Iowa Chapter LLS, benefitting the The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, will join us this coming Saturday. Notice their custom team jerseys!

Find out more about them here: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Team-In-Training-Iowa-Chapter-LLS/228252667231163?fref=ts