State funding issues postpone bidding on Town Center traffic
light; Spurwink Avenue improvements
Improvements to the Town Center intersection at Pond Cove, including installation
of a full traffic light; and paving of Spurwink Avenue have been put on hold
as a result of lack of funding from the Maine Department of Transportation.
The Town of Cape Elizabeth had applied for and was granted funding for each
of the projects through the Portland Area Comprehensive Transportation Committee.
However, no bidding on either project will be allowed until after June 30
of this year pending the outcome of a transportation bond issue that will
go out to voters June 12.
"The traffic signal was due to go out to bid in May," Town Manager Michael
McGovern told members of the Town Council at their meeting April 9. "The
Spurwink paving is in the same boat unfortunately," he said.
The Spurwink Avenue project includes includes grinding existing roadway,
a foamed asphalt treatment and rebasing of small segments of the traveled
way between the Spurwink Church and Deer Run Road.
Town and MDOT officials met with citizens in February to review plans for
the project and to solicit public comment.
In light of funding shortfalls, PACTS has been asked to prioritize its list
of projects, but their recommendations include neither of Cape Elizabeth's
projects.
"I am confident both projects will stay on the list," McGovern said, but
bidding may be pushed out to 2008. "However I can't predict MDOT's time-table,"
he said.
In addition to the neighborhood meeting, much of the engineering work has
already begun for the Spurwink Avenue project, said Public Works Director
Robert Malley. He said he has been working with committee officials to move
the project forward following the bond vote, with possible bidding and work
this summer.
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