Transportation Regional Assessment & Penobscot Narrows Plan Presented by Jim Fisher Hancock County Planning Commission Machias, October 4, 2005 Bucksport,

Transportation Regional Assessment

& Penobscot Narrows Plan

Presented by Jim FisherHancock County Planning Commission

Machias, October 4, 2005

Bucksport, October 27, 2005

Orono, November 2, 2005

October, 2005 HCPC 2

Long Range

1. Maine is aging2. Service economy transition 3. Tourist markets shifting4. NE region congested 5. Global shipping challenges6. Workforce constrains growth7. Maine regions matter8. Technology and uncertainty9. The process is the principle


Births and Deaths

Births and DeathsBucksport

30

35

40

45

50

55

60

65

70

75

1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000

Births

Deaths

Births and DeathsHancock County

400

450

500

550

600

650

1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000

Births

Deaths

Births and DeathsPenobscot County

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000

Births

Deaths

Births and DeathsWashington County

300

320

340

360

380

400

420

440

460

Births

Deaths


Long Range

1. Maine is aging

2. Service economy transition

3. Tourist markets shifting

4. NE region congested

5. Global shipping challenges

6. Workforce constrains growth

7. Maine regions matter

8. Technology and uncertainty

9. The process is the principle

0.000

10.000

20.000

30.000

40.000

50.000

60.000

70.000

80.000

1990

1993

1996

1999

2002

2005

2008

2011

2014

2017

2020

Services

Retail Trade

Government

Manufacturing

State and Local

Construction

Agri/For/Fish Serv

Trans./Public Util.

Fin/Ins/Real Est

Farm

Federal Military

Wholesale Trade

Federal Civilian


Long Range

1. Maine is aging










Long Range

1. Maine is aging









1998

2020


Long Range

1. Maine is aging









0.0%

0.5%

1.0%

1.5%

2.0%

2.5%

1970-80 1980-90 1990-00 2000-10

Additions to Maine’s Workforce


Long Range

1. Maine is aging









Percent of Workforce Fishing, Farming and Forestry

0%

2%

4%

6%

8%

10%

12%

14%

16%

18%

Ver

ona

Isla

nd

Buc

kspo

rt

Orla

nd

Ells

wor

th

Han

cock

Sul

livan

Gou

ldsb

oro

Ste

uben

Milb

ridge

Har

ringt

on

Col

umbi

a

Col

umbi

a F

alls

Jone

sbor

o

Whi

tney

ville

Mac

hias

Eas

t M

achi

as

Whi

ting

Den

nysv

ille

Pem

brok

e

Per

ry

Rob

bins

ton

Cal

ais


Long Range

1. Maine is aging









Coordinate investments in the economy, transportation systems and land use.

Access - physical conditions

Accessibility - time & reliability

Mobility - choices for freight, commuting, personal travel

Safety - crash reduction


Coordinating Transportation and Economic Development

Define primary corridors Map corridor assets Identify critical issues

Economy Land Use Transportation

Identify future objectives

Create a new process for public involvement


Transportation Survey – Corridor Use and Condition

The respondents are drawn almost equally from the three planning sub-regions.

General agreement that the roads are somewhere between poor and good.

Midcoast respondents had the most positive responses.

Hancock County respondents were most critical of the roads.

Most Frequently Used Corridors

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

1 95 3 1A 9 15 2 17 7 6 202

Corridor

Nu

mb

er o

f P

erso

ns

Rep

ort

ing

Use

HCPC

EMDC

MCRPC

Assessment of Road Condition

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

VeryPoor

Poor Fair Good Excellent

Fre

qu

ency


Transportation Survey – Modes

Daily use of personal automobiles dominates

Carpooling significant but opportunistic

Would walk, ride buses or carpool if convenient.

Research into barriers warranted.

Mode to Shopping, School and Work

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Your Car Carpool Bus,Vanpool,

Train

Bicycle Walk

Daily

Few/Week

Few/Month

Few/Year

Never

Would Use if Available

-

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

Walk Bus Carpool Bicycle Train Trolley

Fre

qu

ency


Transportation Survey – Important Issues

Safety and speeding most important issues

Congestion important in the midcoast and Hancock Co.

Road design and maintenance

Northeastern counties stressed maintaining rural highways.

Midcoast and Hancock County - alternative modes

Improving east-west connections

Priority Improvements

020406080

100120140160

Fre

qu

ency HCPC

EMDC

MCRPC

Most Important Issue

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

HCPC

EMDC

MCRPC


Prioritization

To u r

Imp

Freight

Com

Plan

Link

CEDS

Score

Weight 13 11 14 14 12 13 24 100

Midcoast US Route 1 (Warren to Prospect) 9 8 7 8 8 7 6 739

Acadia Express (Holden to Bar Harbor) 10 8 5 7 8 9 6 737

Downeast Coastal (Bucksport & Bangor to Calais) 9 7 9 5 6 8 7 728

Penobscot River (Searsport to Bangor) 4 8 9 4 5 9 7 662

East-West (Newport to Bangor) 6 8 10 6 4 8 5 657

Penobscot Valley (Bangor to Medway) 7 6 9 4 5 8 5 618

Sebasticook Valley (Newport -Greenville) 7 6 7 5 4 3 8 599

Midcoast State Route 3 (Belfast to Palermo) 7 7 7 6 4 4 5 565

Coastal Canadian (Eastport to Danforth) 5 4 7 4 5 7 6 553

Midcoast State Route 17 (Rockland to Washington) 4 8 7 5 4 4 6 547

State Route 6 (Lincoln to Vanceboro) 5 3 6 4 4 5 5 466


Penobscot River

Bucksport Crossroads20 miles from everything

Multi-modal corridorRoute 15Route 1AMMA - Mack PointGuilford - BucksportPenobscot River –

American Eagle Cruise Traffic volumes

4,000 to 7,000 FAADT Connections

Route 1 / Route 3Route 46 HoldenRoute 15 Blue HillRoute 175 Castine


Penobscot River - Economy

ObjectivesSupport traditional industries with

high quality transportation and communications infrastructure.

Improve efficiency of rail service to promote expanded use for freight.

Expand access to the Penobscot River for recreational and passenger excursions. Make the Penobscot River and Bucksport Bay a tourism destination.

Develop trails, bikeways and other alternative corridors connecting communities, schools and venues for tourism.

Promote school-town collaboration in providing community transit services.


Penobscot River - Land Use

ObjectivesEncourage residential and commercial investment in service centers

Encourage retention of farmland, forestry and other resource-based land-uses.

Encourage safe design and location of driveways and entrances to highways to retain mobility along the arterial corridors.


Penobscot River - Transportation

ObjectivesImprove safety standards for access to Route 15 & Route 1A.

Improve public transportationexpanded shuttle bus service, bus service from Bucksport to Bangor,

volunteer driver and taxi services for rural residences.

Increase parking at Fort Knox, Verona Island and Bucksport if tourism increases significantly.

Weight limits on I95 should be in line with state highways.


Penobscot Narrows Master Plan

Description Public Involvement Inventory of existing

transportation infrastructure and services.

Inventory of existing and potential land use policies that impact transportation

Demand forecasts Identify feasible

transportation investments

Relationship to Gateway 1


Penobscot Narrows Master Plan

New Bridge Prospect Pedestrian

Connections Verona Island Pedestrian

Project Access to popular venues

Fort Knox Bucksport Village and

Riverfront Verona Island Boat Ramp Great Pond Mountain Craig Brook Hatchery Toddy Pond


Pedestrian Crossing


Verona Island Pedestrian Alternatives


Access to Bucksport Waterfront


Way-finding and Interpretation


Summing Up

Connect transportation, economy and land use

Think globally, act locally

Look, listen and learn

Set priorities

Support improvements

Economy

Land Use

Transportation

Documents

Transportation Regional Assessment & Penobscot Narrows Plan Presented by Jim Fisher Hancock County Planning Commission Machias, October 4, 2005 Bucksport,