By Alex Acquisto, Staff Writer

ARUNDEL — The board of selectmen approved the installation of six to eight parallel parking spaces on the west side of Limerick Road, near the juncture of the Eastern Trail.

The juncture lies southeast of town hall, between the respective intersections of Limerick and Mountain roads, and Limerick and Campground roads.

There is designated parking for the Eastern Trail in the corner of the town hall parking lot; however, the walk to the actual trailhead is somewhat precarious due to the narrow road and minimal shoulder.

New ET Parking in Arundel“Walking from the town hall parking lot to the trail, we got a lot of comments about safety,” said Town Manager Todd Shea. “Since we don’t have a sidewalk, we thought we’d allow parking there.”

Reconsidering the municipal ordinance started last year, when illegal parking at the entrance of the Eastern Trail was anticipated to cause safety issues due to the road’s slightly elevated curve.

In February, Roger Taschereau, director of the public works department, voiced the possibility of installing a handful of gravel parking spaces on the shoulder of Limerick Road near the Eastern Trail — a venture likely to cost about $1,900.

Last summer the town of Arundel received a grant for participating in community-healthy activities after residents participated in a rural active living assessment conducted by the Coastal Healthy Communities Coalition. The grant is to be used for activities that promote healthy living, Shea said in February. The town has been encouraged to spend that money — approximately $1,500 — to build parking spaces, Shea said.

Gravel parking spots, factoring in the use of grant money plus the cost of gravel, would cost approximately $400.

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