The towns of Damariscotta and Newcastle are in search of bicyclists, runners, walkers, and other volunteers to develop a Twin Villages bicycle and pedestrian plan.
“The goal is to create a plan that facilitates bike and pedestrian access around the communities and serves as the basis for (Maine Department of Transportation) funding requests,” Lincoln County Planner Bob Faunce said in an email.
Faunce and the Lincoln County Regional Planning Commission have already created bicycle and pedestrian plans for six towns: Boothbay, Boothbay Harbor, Bristol, Damariscotta, Waldoboro, and Wiscasset.
The process attempts to identify and outline the needs of the communities in order to secure grants for road and sidewalk projects. “Implementation funding is very tight, so it’s important for towns to do these plans,” Faunce said.
Damariscotta’s 2008 bicycle and pedestrian plan was a major factor in successful grant applications for a sidewalk on Main Street in Damariscotta between Church Street and Yellowfront Grocery and a sidewalk in the works for Bristol Road, according to Faunce.
Faunce would like to recruit about 12-16 members for the committee, including both casual and “road” bicyclists, runners and walkers, representatives of the business community, local schools, and public safety; and others with interest in the topic.
The committee will decide what projects to propose and prioritize those projects, and will help develop an online survey, Faunce said.
“It’s actually kind of a fun process,” Faunce said. “I’ve done this half a dozen times and I think every committee that’s been involved has enjoyed the process.”
Damariscotta Selectmen Robin Mayer and George Parker and Newcastle Selectmen Brian Foote and Carolyn Hatch comprise the committee membership to date.
Damariscotta Town Manager Matt Lutkus said an up-to-date plan would help as the town continues to seek grants, and could also enable the town to learn about residents’ priorities regarding the need for bicycle lanes or paths and sidewalks.
“It’s better to have a more current plan from a grant application standpoint, and fortunately there have been a number of opportunities to implement the recommendations in that plan, so from that standpoint it needs to be updated,” Lutkus said.
“I think it’s also good to see what the community’s thoughts are on a plan such as that on a periodic basis, because community priorities change,” he said.
Faunce plans a maximum of three meetings and would like to wrap up the process in six months.
For more information or to volunteer, contact Lutkus at 563-5168 or mlutkus@damariscottame.com or Newcastle Town Administrator Lynn Maloney at 563-3441 or lmaloney@newcastlemaine.us.
