West Commercial Corridor and Martin’s Point Path Redesign: Final Public Workshop Sept. 17

Portland, Maine - On Thursday, September 17, 2015 from 6:00 PM - 8:15 PM at the Merrill Auditorium Rehearsal Hall (Myrtle Street entrance), Portland city officials will be asking for feedback on proposals to improve safety and multi-modal connectivity in two diverse areas of the city: the West Commercial Street corridor and an improved bike and pedestrian route from Tukey’s Bridge to the Martin’s Point Bridge.

The schedule for the meeting is as follows:
6:00 - West Commercial Corridor presentation
6:30 - West Commercial Breakout Discussion/Commentary
7:15 - Martin's Point Path Presentation
7:45 - Martin's Point Path Breakout Discussion/Commentary
8:30 - Meeting concludes

This final workshop will introduce specific proposals for these two areas, with opportunities to
provide comments via marking up maps and displays. Those who cannot make the meeting can also comment at www.portlandstudies.org as of September 17th.

West Commercial Street is the site of a major commercial expansion that includes the Maine Port Authority’s increased shipping presence, linking freight rail to the International Marine Terminal, and construction of the Portland Yacht Service’s new boatyard, all of which generate significant truck and vehicle traffic. While the commercial transportation needs of this area are a high priority, the City also wants to make sure a safe and attractive design for bicyclists and pedestrians is incorporated into the ongoing redevelopment of this rapidly developing gateway to the Old Port area.

On the other side of town, the challenge for people trying to walk or bike from the eastern peninsula or Back Cove/Baxter Boulevard area to the shared-use pathway on the Martin’s Point Bridge is well known. Challenges include the narrow pathway on Tukey’s Bridge shared by bicyclists, walkers and joggers; access to and from Baxter Boulevard; the busy Veranda/Washington Street intersection; and the I-295 on- and off-ramp intersections at Veranda Street. This is an important link for bicycle commuters from the north as well as recreational walkers and bicyclists, but is currently not a particularly safe or convenient connection.

The first public workshop for this combined project took place in June, with an added opportunity to provide follow-up online available at www.portlandstudies.org. Feedback ranged from suggestions on how to add bike lanes to Veranda Street to where to put sidewalks on West Commercial Street.

The final design will be developed by the consultant team led by Alta Planning + Design from Cambridge, Mass., with local support from TY Lin, Morris Communications and MRLD Landscape Architecture and Urbanism. It will be available by the end of the year on the City of Portland and Portland Area Comprehensive Transportation System’s (PACTS) website.

For more information, please contact the City's consultant, Carol Morris, Morris Communications, at cmorris@morriscomm.net or 207-329-6502.