A view of Newcastle from across the bridge in Damariscotta (Photo Courtesy Derek Webber)
The volunteer Public Safety and Accessibility Collaborative has been operating for over five years with a focus on walking and cycling in Damariscotta. And now it has begun to bring its attention to the needs and opportunities of Newcastle. We’re crossing the bridge.
You may have noted that the walking map we produce each year and make available for free has always been called the Twin Villages Walking Map, and therefore Newcastle has never been very far from our minds. Now that our work related to Damariscotta’s comprehensive plan has been completed, we are doing something of a pivot and for a while taking a more focused look at the needs for pedestrian and cyclists safety in Newcastle.
The collaborative is effectively a source of eyes and ears and advocacy in the community to assist the Town management to be aware of steps needed in matters of safety and accessibility for walkers and cyclists, and users of other means of public transport. We do not know in advance what we shall find, although it is clear that Newcastle has already conducted a significant amount of effort in sidewalk infrastructure, in particular to provide a safe path for the students of Lincoln Academy.
So, we are going to be taking stock of needs (and welcome any feedback from Newcastle residents where they have noted any areas needing attention). This is what we are going to be checking out:
Sidewalks, noting any areas where they are missing or in bad repair
Crosswalks, making sure that they are available at the right places, and the associated markings and street furniture is operating correctly
Bike lanes, where needed for safety reasons, and for guidance at intersections
Walking and biking trails, we are fortunate that there are several; we just need to make sure that they are safe and well signposted
Lighting for safety
Americans with Disabilities Act-compatibility issues
Public transport options, including the railway station, which would serve both Newcastle and Damariscotta, if service is renewed.
Intersection design with a focus on bike/pedestrian safety – there is currently much work ongoing with the town’s Village Partnership Initiative, which we shall be following
Road markings and signage, which are often the main issue is winter weathering, but we shall see what is needed
We shall be taking note of any needs for new infrastructure, but also for maintenance issues in all of these cases, and how well they are able to function in all the weathers we Mainers are used to having to face, sometimes changing from hour to hour.
We hope to be able to make helpful contributions, over time, to the safety and accessibility of folks in Newcastle, so you may begin to see us turning up from time to time in various town meetings. Our two towns have much in common, and we are sure that we can help each other in the months and years ahead by sharing this volunteer resource.
And just a word to our old friends in Damariscotta. We have certainly not forgotten you! We are continuing our efforts to support the safety needs of both towns. But we wanted our “Sole and Tread” readers to realize that in future we might cover issues in either community.
(“Sole and Tread” is a contribution from the Public Safety and Accessibility Collaborative, which as a group of volunteers aims at making life safer for pedestrians and cyclists. For more information or to join, email info@mainepsac.org.)
