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Links to Newspaper Articles and Radio and TV programs. (For articles prior to 2007 see "Links to Articles (old)".) 11 January 2012 Letter to the Editor of the Lincoln County News by Donna Barnako, re: Red's Eats. Excerpt from her letter.... "One suggestion that I made to Mr. Audibert was to realign the long lines of people waiting at Red's eats. Having them helter skelter along the edge of the road on Rt 1 is dangerous and disconcerting to drivers, especially the big 18-wheelers that cannot stop on a dime. One nevr knows if a child might dart out into the traffic, Simply having those 50-75 people line up down Water treet would make a significant difference.... Surely the town can work with Red's to make this small change in where people line up for their food if it means the patrons are safer and traffic is somewhat improved?" 12 December 2011. "Workshop Seeks Solutions To Route 1 Traffic Congestion" by Alec Brodsky in the Lincoln County News. The article begins.... Members of the Wiscasset and Edgecomb Boards of Selectmen met with representatives of the Maine DOT Dec. 12 to develop strategies for reducing traffic volume on Rt. 1. While medium and long-term strategies were considered, DOT's chief objective was to develop short term, low cost plans to be implemented next summer. 3 August 2011 "Demise of Wiscasset Bypass puts drag on Route 1 - The traffic bottleneck is seen as an obstacle to economic growth up and down the coast" Press Herald by Tom Bell. The article begins.... WISCASSET — The Maine Department of Transportation's decision to call off plans for a bypass around Wiscasset has revealed mixed feelings about the project that depend largely on geography.... 2 August 2011 "State Scuttles Route 1 Bypass" Times Record by Seth Koenig Excerpts from the article... WISCASSET — Maine Transportation Commissioner David Bernhardt on Monday announced that — after more than 50 years of debate, fits and starts — plans for a Route 1 bypass around downtown Wiscasset are being abandoned.... 2 August 2011 "Maine pulls plug on Wiscasset bypass project" Boston Globe The article begins... WISCASSET, Maine—Maine's transportation commissioner is pulling the plug on plans to build a bypass road around the town of Wiscasset. 2 August 2011 "Bypass plan goes nowhere in Wiscasset: State kills it" Portland Press Herald, by Leslie Bridgers The article begins... The commissioner of the Maine Department of Transportation has called off all plans to build a bypass around Wiscasset, where potential solutions for summer traffic congestion have been studied for more than 50 years. 20 July 2011."DOT Cites Impressive Returns For Wiscasset Traffic Management Plan" Lincoln County News, by Matthew Stilphen. The article begins... Early returns on a six-week plan to manage pedestrian and traffic flow in the Wiscasset downtown are "impressive," according to the DOT's Bureau of Transportation Systems Planning spokesman Gerry Audibert. 20 July 2011. "Eagle's nest move a no-go, feds tell Edgecomb" by Susan Johns in Wiscasset Newspaper. The article begins... For now, at least, the bypass project does not qualify for a permit to remove an eagle's nest from the long bridge route..... 30 June 2011. "Traffic Officers Begin in Wiscasset July 10" Lincoln County News, by Matthew Stilphen. Excerpts from the article... In what is being billed as an experimental measure by the town and DOT, the Wiscasset Police Dept. will begin directing traffic in the downtown area July 10. "Basically the goal is to regulate the flow of pedestrian traffic,' said Wiscasset Police Sgt. Kathy Williams. "Hopefully this will keep things fluid and moving during the summer." Williams said a uniformed officer would be placed on Water and Middle Streets beginning July 10. The shifts will run from 10 a.m to 6 p.m. everyday for a period of six weeks ending on August 21. 30 June 2011. "Travelers might want to avoid Route 1 in Wiscasset on Monday" Press Herald, by Dennis Hoey. WISCASSET — If you are planning a leisurely drive through the midcoast region this holiday weekend, you might want to reconsider your plans – at least for the middle part of the day on Monday. 2 June 2011. "Wiscasset to have traffic officers on Main St. this summer" by Charlotte Boynton, Wiscasset Newspaper The article begins... The Wiscasset Selectmen voted unaminously Tuesday evening to have two traffic officers on Main Street for six weeks during the summer months..... (See also Lincoln County News ARTICLE by Matthew Stilphen, and revised MDOT proposal to Wiscasset, by Gerri Audibert.) 21 May 2011. "LePage defends tax cuts, budget: ‘People pay taxes, eagles don’t’" by Kevin Miller in the Bangor Daily News. Excerpts from the article.... NEWCASTLE, Maine — Gov. Paul LePage defended his tax cut proposals, pledged to improve Maine’s mental health programs and called on the federal government to put people before bald eagles during a town hall meeting in this midcoast town Friday night. 21 May 2011. "LePage fields questions on budget in Newcastle" by Rebekah Metzler in the Portland Press Herald. Excerpts from the article... NEWCASTLE - More than 250 people, supporters and critics of Gov. Paul LePage, turned out for his Capitol For a Day town hall meeting at Lincoln Academy on Friday.... 19 May 2011 "MDOT proposes traffic officers to help control summer traffic" by Charlolte Boynton in the Wiscasset Newspaper The article begins... Wiscasset Selectmen decided to work with Maine Department of Transportation Study Manager Gerry Audibert to reduce traffic delays on Route 1 in Wiscasset... 19 May 2011 "Edgecomb still trying to get next moved" by Susan Johns, in the Wiscasset Newspaper The article begins... The Edgecomb Bypass Task Force will send a letter this week to U.S. Interior Secretary Kenneth Salazar, asking him to move an eagle's nest away from the long bridge bypass route, Selectmen's Chairman Jack Sarmanian said Monday.... 19 May 2011. "Wiscasset Selectmen Consider Traffic Cops" by Mathew Stilphen in the Lincoln County News. Excerpts from the article. In what was termed as the beginning of a discussion, Gerry Audibert of the Maine Dept. of Transportation (DOT) addressed the Wiscasset Board of Selectmen on the possibility of using uniformed police officers to direct downtown traffic this summer.... "Edgecomb Receives State Bypass Data" by Mathew Stilphen in the Lincoln County News. Excerpts from the article. In a brief meeting of the Edgecomb Board of Selectmen May 16, the Board updated the town on the recent procurement of Wiscasset Bypass information from the state by the Edgecomb Bypass committee.... 30 March 2011. Lincoln County News article about Edgecomb ByPass Task Force meeting on Tuesday, March 22ith MDOT. By Jo Cameron. Excerpt from the article... " ...They hope to be able to tell us something solid before Memorial Day." 16 March 2011. "Edgecomb Bypass Taskforce To Meet With DOT" Lincoln County News, by Matthew Stilphen. Excerpts from the article... The recently formed Edgecomb Bypass Taskforce Committee is scheduled to meet with MDOT Commissioner David Bernhardt March 22 in Augusta. 9 March 2011. "Edgecomb Selectmen Discuss Elimination Of Gateway 1" Lincoln County News, by Matthew Stilphen. Excerpts from the article... During a regular meeting of the Edgecomb Board of Selectmen March 7, Chairman Jack Sarmanian expressed frustration over Gov. Paul Lepages recent decision to cease funding for Gateway 1, the proposed interlocal agreement for Rt. 1 communities from Stockton Springs to Brunswick.... 4 March 2011. Bangor Daily News Editorial: "Rusty Thinking Freezes Gateway 1 Plan" Excerpts from the editorial... In a move that can only be seen as ideologically, not logically driven, the state Department of Transportation has pulled the plug on planning efforts for midcoast’s U.S. Route 1 corridor.... Explaining the move, DOT Commissioner David Bernhardt cited his and Gov. Paul LePage’s goals of trimming state spending. But the planning initiative, which to date has used more than $2 million in funding, easily could have been quietly parked for a couple of years while the volunteer steering committee continued its work.... 4 March 2011. "Midcoast losing Route 1 planning funds- The state withdraws support for an effort started after a road-widening confrontation." by Dennis Hoey in the Press Herald. The article begins.... A land use and transportation planning project that involved 15 midcoast communities has had its funding withdrawn by the new administration in Augusta, but its work may continue. 3 March 2011. "Route 1 planning initiative scuttled" by Beth Brogan in the Times Record The article begins.... BRUNSWICK — Maine Transportation Commissioner David Bernhardt on Monday suspended — likely permanently — the Gateway 1 planning process, effectively eliminating for Bruns-wick and up to 12 to 18 other communities about $1.5 million in funding. 3 March 2011. "Gateway 1 — the solution" by Don White for Village Soup. The Op-Ed begins...... Gateway 1 is not the problem. Gateway 1 is the solution. The Gateway 1 Corridor Action Plan is a model for sustaining the economy, environment and quality of life along the Midcoast from Brunswick to Stockton Springs. 2 March 2011. "BREAKING NEWS: LePage And MDOT Pull Plug On Gateway 1" by Samuel J. Baldwin in the Lincoln County News See also, full article, as printed, "LePage And MDOT Pull Plug On Gateway 1" See also Bangor Daily News, excellent, though mis-headlined, article, "State suspends efforts to cut trees along midcoast Route 1 some decry as ‘global conspiracy’" See article in The Free Press, "LePage Administration Pulls Plug on Gateway 1 Project" The "breaking news" online article in its entirety... At the directive of Gov. Paul LePage and the Commissioner of the Maine Dept. of Transportation all work on Gateway 1 will cease indefinitely, effective immediately. 10 February 2011. "Nominee unanimously confirmed as head of transportation" The article in its entirety... AUGUSTA - David Bernhardt, Gov. Paul LePage's choice to lead the Maine Department of Transportation, was unanimously confirmed by the Senate on Thursday. Bernhardt, who lives in Vassalboro, is a 26-year veteran of the department. He was praised by LePage for his ability to find efficiencies in the agency. Both Republicans and Democrats have praised his selection to be transportation commissioner. 27 January 2011. "LePage appoints Bernhardt as DOT commissioner" Portsmouth Herald by Deborah McDermott Excerpt from the article... But Bernhardt is not expected to be confirmed by the Legislature until mid-February, around the same time LePage is expected to release his biennium budget. 24 January 2011. "Maine DOT, prison chiefs named" Boston Globe, by Glenn Adams, Associated Press Excerpts from the article.... Gov. Paul LePage announced Monday that a Maine transportation official with a reputation for getting the most mileage out of scarce dollars is his choice to head that department, and a career administrator who’s run public and private prisons in several other states will be his nominee to head Maine’s corrections system. 24 January 2011. "David Bernhardt Nominated To Lead Maine Department Of Transportation" from the website, "Government Monitor." Excerpts from the article.... Bernhardt, who is from Vassalboro has been employed by the state since 1984. Bernhardt is currently the Director of Engineering and Operations for the Department of Transportation. The Governor said that in just four years Bernhardt was able to implement major changes within the department, including the consolidation of maintenance facilities and partnership with New Hampshire to save on purchases such as road paint and culverts, which saved the Bureau $10 million dollars in annual savings. “It’s that kind of resourcefulness David has demonstrated that we all need to look to,” said Governor LePage. “Times are tough. If there are ways to be saving money we need to be doing it. I’m impressed by what David has been able to achieve.” 24 January 2011 "LePage Announces Nominees for Two More Cabinet Posts" on Maine Public Broadcasting. Excerpt from the broadcast... LePage has also named long-time state employee David Bernhardt to head Maine's Department of Transportation. Bernhardt, who has worked for the state since 1984, is currently director of engineering and operations for the DOT.
15 January 2011 "Alternatives to building a bypass have not been tried enough" Letter to Editor of Times Record from R.O.A.D. [This letter also appeared in the print version of the Lincoln County News.] The letter begins... It’s been said in support of a bypass around Wiscasset’s downtown that “we’ve tried everything, but nothing worked” to improve the flow of traffic downtown. As Mark Twain might say, “Reports of ‘everything’ are greatly exaggerated.” 6 January 2011 "Polewarczyk speaks out against the bypass routes" by Charlotte Boynton in the Wiscasset Newspaper. The article begins.... Wiscasset Selectman Ed Polewarczyk told the board and members of the public at the selectmen's meeting Tuesday evening that he has difficulty understanding the willingness to allow the displacement of about 30 landowners for 100 hours of traffic congestion during the summer months. "It appears to me that we are ready to blow them off, but thank God for the eagle's nest; we now have an opportunity to take another look at the issue." 5 January 2011 "Wiscasset Selectmen Mull Bypass Endorsement" Lincoln County News by Matthew Stilphen Excerpts from the article.. Selectmen were asked to support a letter drafted to the Maine Dept. of Transportation by Town Manager Laurie Smith that urged the DOT to continue "efforts to provide mobility on the Route One corridor to sustain the economic vitality of the midcoast region." 5 January 2011. "On the road to nowhere? - Wiscasset selectmen delay vote on support for more bypass study" in the Times Record by Seth Koenig. Excerpts from the article.... WISCASSET — The Wiscasset Board of Selectmen will vote Thursday on whether to throw its weight behind continued pursuit of a Route 1 bypass in the town after spirited discussion of the issue Tuesday night. “We have one of the best preserved historic towns in New England,” Jones told the board. “What I’m afraid of in the absence of a bypass, is that for the good of the economy and to move commercial trucks through, we’ll be forced to sacrifice that.” 28 December 2010. R.O.A.D. Letter to the Editor of the Times Record. "Let's explore alternatives to By-pass." The letter begins..... Thank you for the recent Times Record coverage of the seasonal Wiscasset traffic congestion problem (“Task force votes to keep alive Wiscasset bypass planning,” Dec. 16). Unfortunately, people have focused for so long on one solution, a bypass, that they have lost sight of the causes of the problem, and stopped looking for other possible solutions. 22 December 2010. "The Eagle Has Landed.......Or Has He?" Lincoln County News by Matthew Stilphen. The article begins.... Since the discovery of an empty Bald Eagles nest on Davis Island in Edgecomb, and the consequent shelving of bypass route N8c, many Lincoln County residents have wondered why the nest simply can't be moved. The explanation, according to Sarah Nystrom the US Fish & Wildlife, is complex. 22 December 2010 "Task Force Votes To Continue Bypass Exploration" Lincoln County News by Matthew Stilphen. The article begins.... In an emotional and tense meeting at the Edgecomb Eddy School Dec. 15, members of the urgently reconvened Midcoast Bypass Taskforce voted to continue working with the Maine Dept. of Transportation to find a practical plan for a Wiscasset bypass. 17 December 2010 "Bypass Taskforce Committee: We Want Bypass" Lincoln County News (online) by Matthew Stilphen. (For print edition version of same article, see above.) Excerpts from the article.... By a vote of 9 for and 5 against with one abstention, the motion effectively allows the DOT to continue exploring an alternative to the recently shelved N8c bypass route, a decision based on the discovery of a Bald Eagle nest on Davis Island in Edgecomb. The other option on the table, abandoning a bypass entirely, did not sit well with some members of the taskforce. 16 December 2010. "Task force votes to keep alive Wiscasset bypass planning" by Bob Kalish in the Times Record. Excerpts from the article.... .....For the record, the task force voted 9-to-5 with one abstention to advise the MDOT to move forward with the process, which would involve taking a new look at other proposed routes that didn’t make the cut for various reasons. 16 December 2010. WCSH-TV "Edgecomb concerned about Route 1 bypass" Excerpts from the program, by Don Carrigan.... MDOT planner Gerry Audibert says the Army Corps of Engineers has made it clear that route is off the table, so the state will have to consider other routes if it wants to continue with the bypass. And there's no guarantee those routes will be acceptable to the federal regulators, who had previously rejected them.
15 December 2010. WGME-TV story on By-Pass: "Midcoast Bypass Task Force meets" by Catherine Parrotta, with video. The summary on the website begins..... The Midcoast Bypass Task Force will meet Wednesday night from 6:30 to 8:30 to discuss the future of a project that's been put on hold. For decades, officials have discussed building a Route 1 bypass to alleviate traffic in Wiscasset and Edgecomb...a move some believe would help businesses and homeowners. Earlier this year, the Army Corps of Engineers conducted a number of studies, and mapped out three possible routes for the project. Over the summer, officials chose the option they believed would be the most environmentally-friendly. But the recent discovery of an eagle's nest in the middle of that route eliminated that option.... 9 December 2010. Comment on website of Conservation Law Foundation by Jane West, "The Girl Who Loved the Eagle Nest" Excerpts from the article.... Recent headlines over a strategically thinking Bald Eagle in Wiscasset brought a wry smile to my face because this bird somehow managed to undo what dozens of fiscally prudent Mainers have been unable to do for the last decade: stop the DOT. ... Idling cars are backed up for miles, for no apparent reason other than a bunch of flip-flop clad pedestrians scrambling to cross the road back and forth a zillion times so they can taste for themselves if the lobster rolls at Red’s Eats really are the best in Maine. It is well known that the summer tourists queuing up for a lobster roll at this well-known eatery, located practically on Route 1 itself, is a significant contributor of the infamous start-and-go pile-ups along Route 1. By the time you make it through this, everyone in the car is fighting, you have no idea why you thought a vacation to Maine would in any way constitute an “escape”, you are cranky, hungry (because there was no way you were going to contribute to the problem by actually eating at Red’s Eats), and you openly wonder why they don’t just build a pedestrian bridge for crying out loud!? 8 December 2010. "Bypass scuttled by eagle nest" by Gina Hamilton in the Coastal Journal Excerpts from the article .... WISCASSET — Anyone who has ever spent any time on Route One between Bath and Wiscasset between Memorial Day and Labor Day knows why many people wanted a bypass to avoid the tiny village area nestled on the Sheepscot River..... 8 December 2010. "Eagle Nest a Fly in the By-Pass Ointment" by Matthew Stilphen in the Lincoln County News. Excerpts from the article.... .... According to a document submitted to the DOT by Sarah Nystrom of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, an eagle's nest remains protected under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act (BGEPA). While no longer protected under the Endangered Species Act, the continued preservation of the Bald Eagle remains a priority. 7 December 2010. The Times Record editorializes: "What next for Wiscasset By-Pass?" The editorial concludes: .....Yes, there’s a traffic congestion problem along Route 1 through downtown Wiscasset, chiefly during the summer months. That’s not in dispute. The problem facing us is how to weigh the $85 million to $100 million cost of proceeding with the Wiscasset bypass against all those other road and bridge projects in our state that will also need funding. 3 December 2010. "Our View: Bypass plan has more than one problem - An eagle's nest is not all that should get in the way of a project that the state can't afford - " Portland Press Herald Editorial. Excerpts from the editorial.... But the announcement that the Army Corps of Engineers has said that the long-discussed bypass around Wiscasset cannot go forward isn't the only thing ridiculous about this story. [See the opposing RESPONSE to this editorial by David Ross Bertran, a member of the Task Force and resident of Westport Island, through which the Task Force's By-Pass was not planned to pass. 2 December 2010. "Bald Eagle Nest Could Derail Route 1 Bypass Plans" by Susan Sharon, Maine Public Broadcasting Network. Excerpts from the broadcast.... ....And every Monday morning Wiscasset Town Manager Laurie Smith says she receives multiple emails from tourists who've encountered the traffic over the weekend and have a complaint.
2 December 2010. "Bald Eagle Nest Threatens Maine Road Project" on WMTV, Channel 8. The segment in its entirety.... An apparently unused bald eagle's nest is threatening to derail a Maine highway project that has been planned for more than 50 years. 2 December 2010. "Eagle's nest puts Wiscasset bypass plans on hold" on WGME, Channel 13 by Ted Horner, Producer. The segment in its entirety.... Sitting in traffic on Route 1 in Wiscasset will be the norm for a while longer than expected. 2 December 2010. "Eagle's Nest Puts By-Pass on Hold - Disturbing the aerie is prohibited, leaving a long-planned highway project in Wiscasset up in the air." by Beth Quimby in the Press Herald. Excerpts from the article.... ... "We need to decide whether or not we should continue on with the process," said Kat Beaudoin, chief of planning for the Maine Department of Transportation.
2 December 2010 "End of Road for By-Pass? State, local leaders to meet on whether to scrap effort by Seth Koenig in the Times Record. Excerpts from the article.... WISCASSET — The latest obstacle to a proposed Route 1 bypass in Wiscasset — a protected eagle’s nest — threatens to be the one that ends the project for good after more than 50 years of consideration. 1 December 2010 "Eagle's nest causes setback for Route 1 bypass" on Channel 6, WCSH, Portland The article in its entirety... WISCASSET, Maine (NEWS CENTER) -- It's back to the drawing board in the decades long process of trying ease traffic congestion in the Midcoast. 1 December 2010 "Eagle’s nest blocks Route 1 bypass route" in "Web News" in the Times Record. The article in its entirety... WISCASSET — A proposed new highway that would give drivers a route to avoid traffic congestion on Route 1 in downtown Wiscasset has hit a bump in the road. State transportation officials announced Tuesday that they must scrap the preferred bypass route because an undocumented eagle’s nest was discovered in its path. “Early in November, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service informed (MDOT) that the eagle’s next is protected and that the proposed bypass does not meet any of the criteria that would allow the nest to be moved,” Tuesday’s state announcement reads, in part. “As a result, the (Army Corps of Engineers) indicated that it will have to reissue the (Least Environmentally Damaging Practicable Alternative determination) on a previously dismissed corridor option, and MaineDOT must now resubmit documentation concerning alternate routes.” State transportation officials are planning to meet with members of Midcoast Bypass Task Force to gather public input and decide whether to resubmit the application for federal approval for a bypass. 1 December 2010. "Eagle's nest could mean end of Wiscasset Rt. 1 bypass" by Beth Quimby in the Press Herald. See same article in the Morning Sentinel, "Eagle's nest could mean end of Wiscasset Rt. 1 bypass" The article in its entirety... A recently discovered eagle’s nest may mean the end of the proposed Route 1 bypass in Wiscasset. 1 December 2010. "Eagle's Nest Halts Wiscasset Bypass Plan" on Fox News, Channel 13 The article in its entirety... The Maine Department of Transportation has scrapped plans for the Wiscasset Bypass because the Army Corps of Engineers says there is an eagle's nest in the path of the proposed roadway. 30 November 2010. "Breaking News - Eagle's Nest Alters Wiscasset Bypass Plans" Lincoln County News by Matthew Stilphen Excerpts from the article.... Following the discovery of an undocumented eagle's nest along the previously approved corridor for the proposed Wiscasset Bypass, the US Army Corp of Engineers (ACOE) has informed the Maine Dept. of Transportation (DOT) that the proposed route is no longer acceptable.... 30 November 2010. "Wiscasset Needs a Planner" Editorial in the Times Record Excerpts from the Editorial... Wiscasset has long touted itself as “The Prettiest Village in Maine.” But all of the attributes summed up by that appellation didn’t just happen by magic. Nor should Wiscasset residents take for granted their town will remain that way without continued vigilance and careful forethought..... 28 November 2010. "Rough Road Ahead - Maine's roadways are a mess. It's time to face reality and ante up - or suffer the safety and economic consequences." by Orlando Delogu in "Maine Ahead" The article begins.... Two major reports have come out in the last few months that speak to Maine's highway system. The first, prepared by a national organization, the Reason Foundation, was the 19th Annual Report on the Performance of State Highway Systems. In their report, 11 different factors were used to evaluate the quality of existing state systems and the effectiveness of dollars spent by state highway bureaucracies in each of the 50 states. Maine's highway system today ranks 32nd. More alarming, however, is the 10-year trend-in 2000 we ranked 15th. Mid-decade we were in the low 20's. In 2007, the high 20's, and now 32nd. The downward trend, the declining physical condition of our road and bridge systems, and the disinvestment in our highways could not be more clear. The second report prepared by Maine's Department of Transportation, titled "Connecting Maine: Planning Our Transportation Future," undertakes an assessment of the recent past of Maine's transportation (primarily highway) system, and then proposes to look out to the year 2030, measuring need against need against realistically-foreseeable dollar resources. 28 November 2010. "On the roads again: Find new ways to pay for maintenance, group urges To head off a road maintenance meltdown, a report suggests Maine refigure the gas tax and add tolls." by Tux Turkel in the Maine Sunday Telegram. The article begins.... Maine's method of paying for road and bridge maintenance is broken and putting the state's transportation system "on the edge of failure," a transportation advocacy group is asserting. [See graph, "Many Miles, Fewer Dollars"]To head off bigger problems, Maine must start shifting more of the cost of transportation services to the people who use them. It must raise the gasoline tax to compensate for the increasing fuel efficiency of modern vehicles. And it should consider innovative ideas, such as turning Interstate 295 between Portland and Augusta into a toll road, operated by the Maine Turnpike Authority.... 24 November 2010. "Wiscasset Property Owners Affected By Proposed Bypass, Receive Attorney's Letter" by Matthew Stilphen, Lincoln County News The article begins.... In a letter sent to affected homeowners of the proposed Wiscasset bypass, attorney Michael Lane of Augusta has warned residents of an impending "takeover" of their property by the Maine Dept. of Transportation (DOE). "It's really an effort to make sure people's rights are recognized ahead of the bypass. There are laws out there that they need to be aware of," said Lane in an interview with The Lincoln County News. 28 October 2010. Bangor Daily News Editorial, The Road Not Taken Excerpts from the editorial.... How many new roads will be built in Maine in the next 10 years? How many should be built? Those questions must weigh heavily on long-range budget and economic development deliberations when the Legislature returns to work in January. One new road that will be built is the $20 million Caribou Connector, a bypass around downtown Caribou. Gov. John Baldacci touted the new road, saying it would “support increased economic growth by reducing travel times and separating local traffic from through-traffic.” Perhaps. But concerns larger than cutting drive time must be confronted statewide. These concerns mean balancing the immediate needs of deteriorating roads and bridges with longer-range matters relating to our goals as a state.... The longer-range concerns are being ignored. Sen. Dennis Damon, who has co-chaired the Legislature’s Transportation Committee, makes the point that the Department of Transportation has become the “Department of Roads and Bridges.” Rather than focusing on planning for intelligent ways to respond to demographic trends or to encourage economic growth, the DOT has become reactive, struggling to pick which few roads are blessed with new pavement. This is a poor default position, and it results in missed opportunities. A key wrinkle that gets lost in these discussions is the role land use planning plays. When voters approved the Sensible Transportation Policy Act in 1991, they endorsed the federal push to solve transportation problems on an intermodal basis; that is, to consider ways to move goods and people other than on roads. A renewed emphasis on this sort of thinking is needed in Maine, where it could tie in effectively with a state government reflecting on what it can pay for and what it cannot..... 18 September 2010. With bypass road idea 'done,' focus shifts to second bridge - Skowhegan officials told funding an issue" by Doug Harlow in the Morning Sentinel. The article begins..... SKOWHEGAN -- After years of public hearings, impact studies and committee meetings, the plan for a bypass road around downtown Skowhegan has been scrapped. [See also, MaineDOT press release: "MAINEDOT PLANS TO DISCONTINUE SKOWHEGAN TRANSPORTATION STUDY" ] 17 Sept. 2010. "Truck weight exemption could be permanent" by MaineBiz news staff. "The federal government is looking to make permanent a pilot project that exempted Maine highways from a federal truck weight limit. 16 September 2010. "Wiscasset Committee 'Disappointed' In Army Corps Bypass Response" in the Lincoln County News by Matthew Stilphen The article begins.... The Wiscasset Transportation Advisory Committee expressed "disappointment" in a response from the Army Corps of Engineers to the town's letter asking reconsideration and elaboration on the Corps' findings for a proposed Rt. 1 bypass. 31 July 2010. "In Maine Village, Lobster Goes Briskly; Traffic, No" Front Page in the New York Times, by Abby Goodnough. Excerpts from the article.... Some blame gawking drivers, or the short, tight curve of U.S. 1 heading into town, or the lower speed limits in the historic district. Others say it’s the fat, buttery lobster rolls at Red’s Eats, a seafood shack with a fanatical following that sits hard along the highway here, just before the bridge out of town. “I’ve seen people stop their cars and jump out just to take a picture,” said Frank Risell, who owns a bed-and-breakfast in Wiscasset. “Day and night, it’s a problem.” “My message to Red’s,” said Morrison Bonpasse, who lives in neighboring Newcastle and leads a community group opposed to the bypass option, “is, ‘You’re a wonderful business, you’re good people, but please, you have to move.’ ” His group, Route One Alternative Decisions, dismisses the proposed bypass as a waste of money — and eventually of gas, since it would take drivers on a longer route. In addition to moving Red’s, they want a pedestrian bridge or tunnel, off-street parking and other less costly alternatives. “It just seems like an awful lot of money to waste on a seasonal issue,” Mr. Risell said of the bypass plan. “In the middle of winter, you could go out and sleep on Route 1.” 14 July 2010 "Wiscasset Transportation Committee Wants Corps To Reconsider Bypass Route" by J.W. Oliver in the Lincoln County News. The article begins..... The Wiscasset Transportation Committee voted 4-0 to approve a draft letter asking the Army Corps of Engineers to reconsider findings in favor of bypass route N8c, or the "long bridge" option. 10 July 2010. Douglas Rooks article in the Times Record and Sun Journal about restoring railroad service in Maine. See the Times Record Article, "A New Age of Passenger Rail in Maine" Excerpts from the article ..... ....Trains faced a skeptical audience among Mainers when Sen. George Mitchell obtained funding for the Downeaster way back in 1994. It took until 2001 to get the trains running, and the extension to Freeport and Brunswick — discussed for years — took an economic emergency to bring about. 27 June 2010 "Path to Route 1 solution takes another twist - Officials announce a preferred Wiscasset bypass route, stirring immediate criticism. " by Tux Terkel in the Maine Sunday Telegram. Excerpts from the article ..... WISCASSET - To the list of family traditions in midcoast Maine, add the avocation of trying to build a Route 1 bypass around this historic village, where summer traffic must squeeze through a choke point between now and Labor Day.... It's still not a sure bet that any bypass will be built, even though traffic can back up for miles on a sunny summer weekend. Some local residents have long been opposed to a new highway ripping through town to cure a seasonal headache. Comments at the meeting suggest that opponents will become better organized now that they can focus on a specific route and project.... The bypass already has organized opposition. A three-year-old group called R.O.A.D. (Route One Alternative Decisions) wants the state to pursue a range of traffic management alternatives, some of which have already been tried. Morrison Bonpasse, one of the group's leaders, said Maine has more pressing highway needs and shouldn't spend $100 million in Wiscasset. "When something doesn't get built for 50 years, there's a good reason," he said.... 24 June 2010. "MDOT to move forward with N8c bypass route" By Charlotte Boynton in the Boothbay Register. The article begins..... The “No build” alternative to a Wiscasset bypass is no longer an option, according to Maine Department of Transportation Gerry Audibert. However, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Jay Clement from the New England District made it very clear at the public informational meeting Tuesday evening the “no build” was still on the table as far as the Corps was concerned.... 23 June 2010 "Wiscasset Bypass Would Be Built in Phases - Land Acquisition to Start Soon" by Christine Parrish in The Free Press The article begins..... Now that it's been decided that the Long Bridge bypass route is the only option that can get environmental permitting, Maine Department of Transportation is moving forward into planning and land acquisition. The bypass will cost up to $100 million and will take at least 10 years to build, according to Gerry Audibert of the Maine DOT. It could be much longer, he said, depending on funding.... 23 June 2010 "Residents Condemn Bypass At Public Meeting" by J.W. Oliver in the Lincoln County News. The article begins..... Residents of Wiscasset and Edgecomb expressed confusion, alarm and indignation, at a public meeting at the Wiscasset Middle School June 22 regarding the recent selection of N8c as the likely route for a Rt. 1 bypass around Wiscasset.... 23 June 2010 "Bypass plan elicits harsh opposition from locals" by Seth Koenig in the Times Record. The article begins..... WISCASSET — Wiscasset residents told state transportation officials Tuesday night “there will be hell to pay” if they push forward with a Route 1 bypass project against townspeople’s wishes. 17 June 2010 "Wiscasset Traffic Choice Now Clear-" Letter to the Editor of The Free Press, by Morrison Bonpasse. The letter begins..... Now that a politically and environmentally acceptable solution to the seasonal, intermittent Wiscasset traffic problem cannot be found by pushing the traffic outside of Wiscasset Village, the choice for the people of Wiscasset and Maine and the United States is now clear. We can either spend $100 million to devastate the Village with a wide, clear-cut swath ending with a long bridge to Edgecomb, or we can make long-term changes in downtown Wiscasset to permit faster flow of traffic.... 15 June 2010 "Army Corps decides Wiscasset bypass route" WCSH-TV, Portland Excerpts from the story... WISCASSET, Maine (NEWS CENTER) -- After decades of debate, a plan has finally been chosen for a Route 1 bypass around Wiscasset.... The MDOT estimates the final project will cost between $85 and $100 million. Most of that money will come out of federal highway funds provided to the state, but an estimated twenty percent will be paid by Maine. 10 June 2010 "Wiscasset Bypass Folly-" Letter to the Editor of The Free Press, by Steve Cartwright. The letter begins..... A Bronx cheer for the Army Corps of Engineers for approving a Route 1 bypass route around Wiscasset. This is incredibly stupid, and our own Department of (automobile only) Transportation is right behind the corps, and ready to squander our taxpayer dollars on something we don't need. Let us pray that this project never finds the massive funding it would require. What are we building? A highway that costs us tens of millions of dollars so we can drive around Red's Eats in the summertime? 10 June 2010 "Army Corps of Engineers Finds "Long Bridge" Option to Be the "Least Environmentally Damaging Practicable Alternative" for a Wiscasset Bypass" from the Free Press. The article begins.... After many, many years of transportation and environmental studies conducted by the Maine Department of Transportation (MaineDOT) devoted to proposals for a U.S. Route 1 bypass of Wiscasset village, on May 24 the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) issued its determination of the Least Environmentally Damaging Practicable Alternative (LEDPA) route for the bypass. With the LEDPA determined, that means that if a bypass does get built, its location has been decided 9 June 2010 "Wiscasset Transportation Committee Denounces Army Corps Plan" by Oliver in the Lincoln County News The article begins.... Members of the Wiscasset Transportation Committee firmly denounced the recent Army Corps of Engineers decision to approve Route N8c, the "long bridge option," as the Least Environmentally Damaging Practicable Alternative (LEDPA) for a bypass at a June 7 meeting. 3 June 2010 "Route Selected for Wiscasset Bypass" in the Lincoln County News. The article begins.... After decades of requests from the Town of Wiscasset for a U.S. Rt. 1 Bypass of Wiscasset Village, and after many years of transportation and environmental studies spearheaded by the Maine Dept. of Transportation (MaineDOT), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) issued its determination of the Least Environmentally Damaging Practicable Alternative (LEDPA) on May 24. 2 June 2010 "Army Corps picks bypass route - State’s preferred ‘N2a’ route around Wiscasset rejected in favor of ‘N8c’" in the Times-Record, by Seth Koenig Excerpts from the article.... WISCASSET — The Army Corps of Engineers has selected its preferred route for a Route 1 bypass in Wiscasset, taking another big step toward the creation of a new road drivers could use to avoid traffic bottlenecks in the village downtown. The Army Corps chose N8c over N2a, the announcement said, “because it has fewer natural and cultural resource impacts.” 9 December 2009. "Truck weight limit exemption advances" by MaineBiz news staff. "An effort to exempt Maine highways from a federal truck weight limit for one year is moving forward. 9 August 2009. "Town inches toward cure for backups" by Beth Quimby in the Maine Sunday Telegram Excerpts from the article.... "...The state Department of Transportation is putting the final touches on its application to the Army Corps of Engineers for permits to build a bypass around the village. A decision is expected this fall. It is the furthest that any effort to solve the problem has gotten.... But the public is far from sold on the bypass. Many say that the traffic is only a seasonal phenomenon and that routing it away from the village would hurt business or take too big an environmental toll.... Once a route is permitted, it will be up to the state to find the $85 million it is expected to cost to build the bypass. Audibert said the Department of Transportation is committed to seeing the process through as quickly as possible because as many as 100 properties could be taken by eminent domain if the project goes ahead, making them virtually impossible to sell beforehand...." 2 July 2009. "Wiscasset Traffic Information System On Rt. 1" in the Lincoln County News. The article begins.... As part
of its traveler information plan, the Maine Dept. of Transportation
(MaineDOT) will be pre-alerting motorists to major congestion on
Route 1 in Wiscasset as of July 1. The pilot program was tested
late last summer and fall, and will be permanently implemented this
summer through mid-October. 19 May 2009. "Time Limit may be set for acquiring land for bypass" by Paula Gibbs, Editor, Wiscasset Newspaper. Excerpt from the article.... The bill would change the provisions in the law regarding the acquisition of property by MDOT in cases where an Environmental Impact Statement is required in connection with permitting under the National Environmental Protection Act for the location of a new bypass. The MDOT would have two years from the time the LEDPA is issued to buy property; this could be extended for up to two years by the Joint Standing Committee on Transportation if no money is available or if state or federal regulations "preclude the Department from acquiring real property." 19 February 2009. "Corps asks for more study of bypass options" by Jo Cameron in the Wiscasset Newspaper. The article begins... It appears from a February 10 meeting of state officials that more work needs to be done on the proposed Wiscasset bypass route options. The meeting included representatives from the Maine Department of Transportation (MDOT) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. 17 December 2008. "Bypass Group Ends Task With Rt. 218 Compromise" by Greg Foster in the Lincoln County News. The article begins.... The
Midcoast Bypass Task Force has wrapped up months of meetings on
aspects of the proposed Rt. 1 bypass with an innovative solution
for a Rt. 218 connector road to a full interchange at Rt. 27. 17 December 2008. "State seeks federal OK for proposed Wiscasset bypass" by Seth Koenig in the Times Record. The article begins.... WISCASSET
— State transportation officials have submitted their report on
a proposed Route 1 bypass in Wiscasset to the Army Corps of Engineers.
They hope their preferred path will get its final stamp of approval
during the first half of 2009. 24 September 2008. Lincoln County News article about 18 September Task Force meeting about ByPass interchanges with Routes 27 or 218. "DOT Open to Rt. 27 Full Interchange Plan" by Greg Foster in the Lincoln County News. The article begins.... Discussion
opened up last Thursday to the prospect of a full interchange on
Rt. 27 (Gardiner Road) in Wiscasset for the proposed Rt. 1 bypass
but hopes dimmed for one on Rt. 218 (Alna Road). 3 September 2008. "County Board Approves MDOT Travel Advisory Pilot" by Greg Foster in the Wiscasset Newspaper . Excerpts from the article.... Lincoln County commissioners agreed to a memorandum of understanding Tuesday with the state Dept. of Transportation for a real-time traveler advisory for traffic backups along Rt. 1 in Wiscasset. The MDOT-proposed pilot project for this week through Columbus Day is to see what effect advisory signage notifying travelers on I-295 north of mitigating traffic congestion in Wiscasset along Rt. 1.... 2 September 2008. "Music helps spread word about alternative energy" by George Chappell in the Bangor Daily News. Excerpts from the article... UNION, Maine — Organizers of the first Labor Day forum on alternative energy used music and speeches to spread the word on the need to find a new source of heat besides oil. Rich Simon, owner of a hardwood lumber business in Washington; his wife, Susan Bickford; and local builder Ray Montana pulled together 10 bands and individual entertainers from 1 to 9 p.m. Saturday to present a forum for ideas for change.... Simon believes that the state’s proposal to build a Route 1 bypass in Wiscasset is wrong-headed because it’s continuing to encourage use of vehicles. Instead, that money could be funneled into alternative energy. If people drove fewer hours in their cars, the demand for the bypass would be reduced, he said. 28 August 2008. "Wiscasset Traffic Signs to Go Up" by Carol Morris (MDOT) in the Wiscasset Newspaper. (headlined "New Signage to alert motorists on I-295 of Wiscasset congestion" in the Lincoln Count News.) The article begins... As part of its traveler information plan, the Maine Department of Transportation (MDOT) will be pre-alerting motorists to certain congestion hot spots throughout the state—and Route 1 in Wiscasset is first on the list. Starting this Labor Day weekend, when a major traffic backup occurs on Route 1 in Wiscasset, the Wiscasset Police Department will alert MDOT to activate the changeable message sign in the northbound lane of I-295 just before the Brunswick/Bath exit. The sign will flash the message "Traffic Delay Wiscasset" for as long as the traffic is backed up. The message will be triggered only by a major delay, which will be defined as traffic that is backed up from Wiscasset village to the Wiscasset Ford dealership on Route 1.... [See 3 Sept 2008 Letter to the Editor of the Lincoln County News about the Smart Sign: "Beginning of Sensible Management") 22 August 2008. Letter to the Editor of the Times Record and Lincoln County News and Wiscasset News: "Scrap the Bypass" by Morrison Bonpasse, R.O.A.D. Co-Chair. The letter begins... The concern expressed by Kat Fuller of the Maine Department of Transportation ("A status report on the Wiscasset bypass project," commentary, Aug. 15) for the uncertainties thrust upon Wiscasset and Edgecomb property owners along the proposed Wiscasset bypass routes could best be resolved by the immediate abandonment of the project. 14 August 2008. "Gas prices driving motorists off road, especially in Maine" in Portland Press Herald Excerpts from the article.... "The state saw a 7 percent drop in June, the second-largest drop in the nation. The 4.7 percent decline nationally was the biggest monthly driving drop in a downward trend that began in November, the Federal Highway Administration said Wednesday.... The Maine Turnpike Authority said the number of vehicles on that highway was down 4.1 percent in June from the same month a year earlier and down 2.7 percent in July. For the year, traffic is off 1.5 percent, turnpike authority spokesman Dan Paradee said...." [There are no data for the Wiscasset section of Route 1, as the MDOT has not yet installed permanent traffic counters.] 14 August 2008. "A MaineDOT letter to the Community: The Wiscasset Bypass" by Kat Fuller, Chief Planner, MaineDOT. Published in the Lincoln County News and Wiscasset Newspaper and Times Record, the letter begins, "It was suggested by a member of the public at a recent Midcoast Bypass Task Force meeting that some confusion exists regarding trhe status of the proposed Wiscsset Bypass routes." 24 July 2008. "MDOT unveils Wiscasset traffic solutions" by Bob Kalish in the Times Record. The article begins.... EDGECOMB — The Maine Department of Transportation has reviewed possible interim strategies to relieve traffic congestion on Route 1 in Wiscasset and is recommending moving forward with seven of the 10 solutions proposed. 2 July 2008. "Bypass Group Registers 'No Opposition' to Route" by Greg Foster in the Lincoln County News The article begins... "The
Midcoast Bypass Task Force made a surprise move last June 26 with
a unanimous straw vote of 'no strong opposition' to the state Dept.
of Transportation's (DOT) preferred Rt. 1 bypass route." 19 June 2008. "Members of bypass group getting a chance to talk" by Paula Gibbs in the Wiscasset Newspaper. Mostly about the alternatives to a bypass, excerpts from the article.... Noting that any Wiscasset bypass "will not be operational for years to come," MDOT has come up with a number of proposals to address traffic congestion in Wiscasset. Those measures were described in materials handed out at the June 10 meeting. One of the state's ideas is to install an electronic message sign in Edgecomb at the bottom of the hill near Cod Cove to alert people traveling south that traffic is slowed or stopped before the Wiscasset bridge. Because there is a hill before the bridge, motorists sometimes are forced to stop quickly because they do not realize cars are stopped until they get over the top of the hill. This project is funded and is expected to be advertised for bid this month. However, the date that is projected to become operational is not until Labor Day. Another idea is to install cameras to provide web-based traffic information. These would be installed about three miles west and east of downtown Wiscasset to provide good visibility of traffic conditions. The cameras would be monitored by the Lincoln County Communications Center, which will contact the state when to post and when to remove traffic notes on 511, MDOT's telephone and web-based traveler information system. The budget for this is $20,000 and no date has been set yet for activation. Installing a changeable message sign on Interstate 295 northbound, just south of the Brunswick exit, is another proposal. This sign could advise motorists if there are "traffic issues in Wiscasset" which will give travelers the chance to decide if they want to continue on the interstate or take Route 1. The state proposes to install a permanent traffic monitor to keep track of how many cars are traveling on Route 1 in Wiscasset. This would be placed west of the Route 27 intersection. The state plans to review the intersection of Route 1 and Lee Street and Route 1 and the Bradford Road to see if Lee Street and Bradford Road should be realigned so they are directly across from one another. Another intersection the state plans to review is the Route 1-Route 27 intersection in Wiscasset. Whether traffic lights should be installed at this intersection will be under consideration. The state has provided Wiscasset town manger Arthur Faucher with aerial views of the town to enable off-street parking areas to be developed. 11 June 2008. "Preferred Wiscasset Route 1 bypass identified by MDOT" by Rob Kalish in the Times Record. The article begins... EDGECOMB
— About 50 people crowded into the Edgecomb Eddy School on Tuesday
night in the hope of learning what Route 1 bypass route was to be
chosen as the preferred one by the Maine Department of Transportation.
22
May 2008. Wiscasset Town Manager asks for economic impact
analysis for Bypass. "Final
meetings on bypass - maybe," by Paula Gibbs Editor The "preferred route" (or routes) are expected to be announced by the Maine Department of Transportation (MDOT) at meetings set for June 10 at 5 p.m. at the Edgecomb Eddy School on Route 27, and on June 26 at 6:30 at the 911 Communications Center on Route 1 in Wiscasset. The meetings of the task force are open to the public.
Wiscasset Town Manager Arthur Faucher said he asked MDOT's Kathy
Fuller for help in determining how the losses will affect the town,
not only in properties and buildings removed from the tax rolls,
but also the "social impact assessment." Faucher calculates
about $26 million, which is the value of land and buildings, will
no longer be taxable to the town. At the present tax rate, this
would amount to an actual loss in tax dollars of about $350,000." 31 January 2008. "Bypass Task Force meets; no public notice" by Barbara Martin in The Wiscasset Newspaper. Excerpts from the article... The Midcoast Bypass Task Force met at the Edgecomb Eddy School last week to begin reviewing public comments on the Route 1 bypass Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) with apparently no notice to the public.... [future meetings every two weeks, with topics below] The list of topics is as follows: traffic diversion analysis - Feb. 7 complete traffic diversion- Feb. 21 interchange - March 6 complete interchange - March 20 downtown Village issues - April 3 Englebrekt Road * interim or long-term solutions in Wiscasset Village * substantiated opinions on alternatives* agency comments* individuals' comments,* and new alignment proposals* *Dates to be determined. 9 January 2008. "Commentary - SVCA Asks For Traffic Mitigation Results to Decide Bypass Options " by Honor Fox Sage, President of the Sheepscot Valley Conservation Association, in the Lincoln Count News. Excerpts from the submission.... The SVCA
has consistently supported the no-build option in the Wiscasset
bypass discussions. It has supported this option because it believes
there are no-build - which does not mean "do nothing" - means of
mitigating the acknowledged summertime traffic pressures, and because
building such roads and bridges as have been proposed is, in itself,
always an undesirable undertaking, destroying environmental and
possibly historical assets, taking private property and homes, physically
disrupting and dividing communities, and absorbing many millions
of taxpayer dollars. With all the inevitable negatives, the need
to build must be compelling to justify proceeding with a project....
9 January 2008. "DOT Sifts Bypass Comments, Gateway 1 Gathers Data" by Lee Roberts in the Lincoln County News The article begins.... It will likely be more a year or more before two strands of state work, the first, a cutting edge research project forecasting the likely future of the Midcoast, the second, the penultimate hurdle before the long-discussed Wiscasset bypass goes forward. Since the final Environmental Impact Statement for the Wiscasset bypass project must include responses to every "substantive comment" elicited by the draft statement, the next step toward building a road around Wiscasset village is evaluating 200-plus written comments. After the Environmental Impact Statement is complete, the final task is finding funds for the project, estimated between $68 and $80 million.... 2 January 2008. Op-Ed by R.O.A.D. member, Steve Cartwright, in Bangor Daily News, "The train solution" Excerpts from the Op-Ed..... ...Our Department of Transportation — which seems as addicted to the automobile as the rest of us — has proposed spending nearly $90 million on a bypass of traffic-clogged Wiscasset. This is backward thinking and won’t get us out of the dark ages of pollution and traffic jams. We should be investing millions of dollars in a state-of-the-art passenger and freight rail system. That’s what nearly every other western nation does, and the only excuse we have is that we are hooked on driving a ton of steel around for convenience. Half of Maine’s air pollution is caused by cars.... 26 December. Letter to Editor of Lincoln County News by Donna and Frank Barnako of Wiscasset and Virginia: "State Should 'Do No Harm' in Wiscasset" Excerpts from the letter:... "This letter was written Dec. 18 to Edward Hanscomb, PE, at the Department of Transportation's Bureau of Planning, who is project manager for the Wiscasset Rt. 1 Corridor Study.... Dear Mr. Hanscom: 26 December 2007. Letter to Editor of Lincoln County News by Ray Shadis of Edgecomb: "Washington St. Key to Wiscasset Traffic Flow Plan" The letter begins... Below are my comments regarding the proposed Wiscasset bypass submitted to the Maine Department of Transportation on Dec. 20, and are best reviewed with a map of the village of Wiscasset (downtown) in hand....[ click for Wiscasset Map of Washington Street and vicinity] 26 December 2007.
Letter to Editor of Lincoln County News by Nathan
Nicholls of Waldoboro: "Bypass
Would Only Create More Problems" "To ignore a relatively inexpensive and low impact solution is crazy. If you elevated the highway over a combined rail/pedestrian crossing, you would indeed solve the overwhelming majority of the "congestion" as well as its resultant negative environmental impact. A bypass would not completely eliminate the negative environmental impact of Rte. 1 Wiscasset and it will surely create more. I'm not against
a bypass, I do have a problem with governmental entities with closed
minds...." 26 December 2007. "ROAD Submits Comments and Requests to DOT" in Lincoln County News by Morrison Bonpasse. The "Commentary" begins... The newly formed R.O.A.D. organization (Route One Alternative Decisions) sent to the state Department of Transportation on Friday its formal opposition to the proposed northern bypass routes. In addition, it made three requests to assist in the long term effort to ameliorate the traffic problem in the Wiscasset "SSZ" (Seasonal Slow Zone).... 20 December 2007. "Edgecomb favors Davis Island route" by Barbara Martin, in the Wiscasset Newspaper. The article begins... On Monday, Edgecomb Selectmen signed a joint letter to Edward Hanscom, Project Engineer, for the Wiscasset Route 1 Corridor Study, officially endorsing N8C, one of five proposed routes that have been discussed in the recent flurry of local informational meetings sponsored by the Maine Department of Transportation. 14 December 2007. Friends of Mid-Cosast Maine Provide Comments on DEIS" Inter alia, the group's letter stated... In light of the above criteria and our evaluation of the DEIS, we believe, with some modification, there are two possible routes that have the least impact. These are Route N2/N8c and Route N2/N2h/N2f-1. ... N8C is the only bypass route that would cross over the Sheepscot River to Davis Island. The other four routes would cross at various places on Clark's Point and end on the Edgecomb mainland. The selectmen assert that this bypass route would be best for the town because it "increases public safety, enhances mobility, and provides a net improvement to the environment to the greatest extent possible." The letter lists seven specific reasons that N8C would be best for Edgecomb:
12 December 2007. "Wiscasset Selectmen Determine All Proposed Bypass Routes Unacceptable" by Sherwood Olin, Lincoln County News. The article begins....and with a subsequent excerpt.... Asked by chairman Duane
Goud to pick one proposed bypass route over another last night,
the Wiscasset Board of Selectmen collectively opted for none of
the above. ... 30 October 2007 State gives Wiscasset bypass options by Dennis Hoey in the Press Herald. A bypass around Wiscasset village could cost up to $79 million and take at least another 10 years to build. The Maine Department of Transportation this week released five options for a bypass that would carry traffic around Wiscasset's quaint but congested village district. A description of each route and its potential impact are outlined in the department's Draft Environmental Impact Statement, which is part of the 200-page Wiscasset Route 1 Corridor Study. [Go to Press Herald Archives for full article @$2.00 each.] 24 October 2007. "Bypass Impact Statement - No-Build vs. Five Routes" by Greg Foster in the Lincoln County News Excerpts from the article.... The long-awaited
Draft Environmental Impact Statement, now in circulation, pits five
optional routes for a Rt. 1 bypass in Wiscasset against a no-build
alternative.... 18 October 2007. "Wiscasset bypass study lists 5 routes, but no favorite" by Greg Kalish in the Times Record. The article begins.... "WISCASSET
- The much-anticipated Wiscasset Route 1 Corridor Study Draft
Environmental Impact Statement is in the hands of town
officials, members of the Wiscasset Midcoast Task Force and at the
Wiscasset Public Library." 23 May 2007. "DOT Says Tunnel Bypass to be Considered in EIS" by Greg Foster in the Lincoln County News The article begins.... The Maine Dept. of Transportation (DOT) considers all substantive comments on its Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) about Rt. 1 bypass options on the table, including the tunnel idea proposed recently. At two of
Wiscasset selectmen's meetings, Boothbay resident John Van Orsdell
presented the concept of a tunnel from the end of Pottle Cove Rd.
to a mid-point on Davey Memorial Bridge from Wiscasset to Edgecomb....
3 May 2007. "Can the bypass go under the tracks, above the water, and below the water?" by Paula Gibbs in the Wiscasset Newspaper. This article is about the original proposal by Boothbay Resident John VanOrsdell for a bypass that would connect with the Davey Bridge. 18 April 2007. "Bypass Option Offered as Appealing to Towns" by Greg Foster in the Lincoln County News The article begins.... A Boothbay man is offering an alternative to the three Rt. 1 bypass routes the state Dept. of Transportation (DOT) has on the table, that he argues would appeal to all communities affected. John Van Orsdell, who serves as an alternate on the Boothbay appeals board, presented his plan to Wiscasset selectmen Tuesday, with some favorable reactions from board members. Basically, his plan would include a tunnel from near the shore at the end of Pottle Cove Rd. off Rt. 1 and join Davey Memorial Bridge somewhere near the middle.... 28 February 2007. "From the Legislature - Bill to Expedite Wiscasset Bypass Filed" by State Rep. Bruce MacDonald in the Lincoln County News Excerpts from the article.... I have filed a bill that will require the Dept. of Transportation (DOT), by December of this year, to choose one of the several proposed bypass routes around Wiscasset. The bill further requires that the DOT, at the same time, provide a preliminary project plan with timelines and goals for the completion of the bypass.... [The resolution is LD (Legislative Document) 1847 , which concludes: "This resolve directs the Department of Transportation to complete its examination of alternate routes for the so-called Wiscasset bypass and choose a route. No later than December 15, 2008, the department must submit a report to the Joint Standing Committee on Transportation describing its chosen route and its plan and timetable for construction of that route."]
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