By Kathy Onorato
Plans to provide a shutte service from Wiscasset to Boothbay were brought to Lincoln County Commissioners Dec. 28. From left to right are, Laurie Smith, Wiscasset town manager; Catherine Fossett, executive director of the Boothbay Region Chamber of Commerce; and Robert Faunce, Lincoln County planner. (Kathy Onorato photo)
Meeting for the final time in 2013 on Dec. 28, the Lincoln County Commissioners voted to spend $1000 to help begin a shuttle service from Wiscasset to Boothbay.
Lincoln County Planner Robert Faunce, Executive Director of the Boothbay Region Chamber of Commerce Catherine Fossett, and Wiscasset Town Manager Laurie Smith made a presentation to commissioners highlighting the potential benefits and impact providing this service to train passengers could have on economic development in Lincoln County.
Faunce told the commissioners the estimated cost of starting the program is about $45,000 of which 80 percent could be funded by the state, leaving a cost-share of $9,000.
“If they (the state) feel it’s a priority, they could fund it,” he said.
With the expansion of services planned for Maine Eastern Railroad from Brunswick to Rockland, Faunce told commissioners more people would take advantage of the train service if Boothbay Harbor was a destination people using the train service could get to from Wiscasset.
“The shuttle service may be the stake that holds it (the train service) in place,” Faunce said.
Without a traffic bypass likely in the future, Smith said the region needs to come up with a plan to keep traffic moving on Route 1. “This would be laying a foundation for a regional transportation issue,” Smith said.
Fossett said there is some excitement of bringing business to Boothbay.
Lincoln County Commissioner William Blodgett asked Fossett if the businesses in the area were going to be contributing toward the cost. Fossett said her chamber will be contributing $1000.
“Boothbay and Boothbay Harbor has the most to gain from the service,” Blodgett said.
Commissioner Hamilton Meserve said he supported the idea because it is an opportunity for economic development. “We don’t get many opportunities,” he said. “We need to spread the (financial) burden as much possible.”
