IN THE CITY
Over the past month or so, the city has been communicating with the Maine Department of Transportation regarding the state’s plan to resurface U.S. Route 1 from the Chapman Street intersection northward to the bridge spanning the Aroostook River near the Mall. The resurfacing will take place this summer and fall (2015).
During the past few months, the city of Presque Isle has gathered input on ways to lessen the impact on residents and businesses during the resurfacing project on Main Street scheduled for this summer (2015). While everyone viewed this as a much-needed project, there were concerns about the potential negative impacts, mostly due to the experience of the recent utility construction this past summer. During the infrastructure replacement project which took place on Main Street in 2014, many local businesses experienced significant financial losses compared to previous years. Unfortunately, usual patrons avoided the downtown business district during the 2014 construction.
The Presque Isle Downtown Revitalization Committee discussed the project and made recommendations to the council in anticipation of the 2015 resurfacing project. On Jan. 26, the city held a public forum to gather input from the public and businesses, which MDOT staff also attended. The comments and concerns from attendees were brought before the Presque Isle City Council at their regular monthly meeting on Feb. 2, 2015.
The council subsequently endorsed all the comments from the two aforementioned meetings and sent a letter to the Maine Department of Transportation in mid-February requesting that they consider the following “concerns” when planning the project in order to minimize impact to motorists, residents and businesses:
• Provide electronic signage at both ends of Main Street with regular project information & updates on progress;
• Avoid working during First Friday Art Walks, Balloonfest, Elks BBQ, Northern Maine Fair and other key events;
• If possible, arrange project to lessen the impact in the downtown area;
• Perform work at nighttime to avoid traffic during normal business hours;
• Provide regular updates to city staff about the construction so we can inform businesses so they adapt by decreasing staff, notifying tenants, and adjusting inventory;
• Start project as early in the season as possible to avoid events and tourism traffic season later in the summer;
• Work six day schedules;
• Start project on the southern end and progress northerly to lessen impact on downtown merchants; and
• Use methods to lessen the impact to residents and businesses.
Finally, the city would like to continue the dialogue throughout the 2015 construction season to ensure that the project will have the best possible outcome. The city will utilize our electronic communication resources to keep the public up to date about the project, as it progresses.
Ken Arndt is Presque Isle’s director of planning and development. He can be reached at 760-2727 or via email at karndt@presqueisleme.us.
