05/14/09
Council takes more time to decide on town-center intersection project
Town councilors will take more time before deciding whether to decline state and federal funding for a full traffic signal at the town center intersection.
At their meeting May 11, 2009, councilors voted 4-3 to table until next November the disposition of plans to signalize, and make various site improvements, to the intersection at Shore, Ocean House and Scott Dyer roads.
"Citizen safety is a priority for me," said Town Council Chairman Jim Rowe, who made the tabling motion. "It is apparent to me that some of the passive measures that have been installed there are questionable in their effectiveness so far," Rowe said.
At their November 2008 meeting, the council voted to postpone a decision on a federally and state funded design for the town-center intersection, and instead implemented less intrusive and less costly traffic-control measures. The measures include signage, greater police enforcement, and making orange flags available for pedestrians to carry when they try to cross the road.
However, in the past two weeks, Rowe said, "we have had no fewer than two more accidents in the town center intersection. Fortunately neither involved serious personal injury."
"I think this deserves a little more time to build an experience as to how these minor things are working," Rowe said.
The November 2009 date for reconsideration would give the town a full year to evaluate the effectiveness of the passive control measures, Rowe said.
Cape Elizabeth is eligible for federal and state grants through the Portland Area Comprehensive Transportation Committee. The grant was applied for by the town in 2004.
Following a public hearing last November, councilors considered killing the project because of public opposition, but opted to table consideration until spring so that the funding could be looked at in the context of other budget issues.
At that time the project was estimated to cost just under $1.1 million, with the town responsible for costs above 85 percent of the $437,503 PACTS grant.
On March 26 of this year, a representative of the Maine Department of Transportation advised PACTS to reassign the balance of the grant to other projects in the region. MDOT is also suggesting that PACTS, and/or the town, could be asked to reimburse MDOT $133,835 for design and other services if the project does not move ahead by August of 2016.
Rowe said that he was not willing to let go of the money yet. "If God forbid we had a fatality at this intersection, and I knew that at one time I had the ability to perhaps prevent it and I consciously chose not to, I would submit my resignation from the Town Council that day or the next," Rowe said.
Rowe and councilors Anne Swift-Kayatta, Paul McKenney and David Backer voted in favor of tabling the disposition to November 2009. Councilors David Sherman, Sara Lennon and Penny Jordan were opposed.
Because of the motion to table, no further discussion was allowed under Robert's Rules of Order.
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