Pedestrian, Transportation & Accessibility Committee

Meetings

  • 6:00 p.m.
  • Second Monday of each month
  • Belfast Free Library, Third Floor Conference Room
    106 High Street
    Belfast, ME 04915

Members: 9 Members/3-Year Terms

  • Bruce Snider (Chair)
    3 Year Term
    Term Expires: July 1, 2025
  • David Loxterkamp (Secretary)
    3 Year Term
    Term Expires: July 1, 2026
  • Glenn Montgomery
    3 Year Term
    Term Expires: July 1, 2024
  • Cara Harshman
    3 Year Term
    Term Expires: July 1, 2025
  • Bill Durkin
    3 Year Term
    Term Expires: July 1, 2026
  • Neva Allen
    3 Year Term
    Term Expires: July 1, 2026
  • David Aguiar
    3 Year Term
    Term Expires: July 1, 2024
  • Abigail Curtis
    3 Year Term
    Term Expires: July 1, 2025
  • Ethan Merrifield
    3 Year Term
    Term Expires: July 1, 2024

Mission:

The Belfast Pedestrian, Transportation & Accessibility Committee (formerly the Pedestrian, Biking & Hiking Committee) was formed in 2008 to promote, advocate for, and advise the City Council on improving conditions for non-automotive modes of moving about our city, including walking, running, hiking, and using wheeled devices such as wheelchairs, scooters, and bicycles. Its mission is to improve the accessibility, safety, and usefulness of sidewalks, multi-use paths, bike lanes, pedestrian crossings, and parking areas, and to promote harmony among all users of public roads, through education, infrastructure improvements, and traffic calming measures. Its goal is a citywide transportation network that provides safe, enjoyable, and efficient options for residents and visitors of every age and level of ability to move around Belfast and surrounding areas without a car.

Committee Goals (January 24th, 2022)

  1. Develop a comprehensive active transportation plan, including accessibility improvements, and seek grant funding to help implement it. Status: The  City Council has approved matching funds for a Maine DOT Planning Partnerships Initiative grant. A request for proposals to provide professional consulting services has been posted to the City of Belfast website.
  2. Build a multimodal path along Wight Street. Status: Funding has been secured and a plan has been approved. 
  3. Rebuild the Congress Street Sidewalk as a multimodal path. Status: Funding has been secured. Planning has yet to begin.
    1. We advocate for the reconstruction of the Congress Street sidewalk as a multi-modal path, open to pedestrians and bicyclists, that extends from the new Wales Park path—and is the same width as the Wales Park path—to the intersection with Rt. 1.
  4. Provide safe crossings at Rt. 52/Rt. 1 and Main Street/Starrett Drive.
    1. With Maine DOT planning to make improvements to these crucial intersections as early as 2023, now is a crucial time to work toward making these intersections more friendly to non-motorized users.
    2. The 2002 Troy Howard Trail Feasibility Study lists several options for the crossing of Rt. 1 at Rt. 52, including a pedestrian bridge.
    3. A lower-cost option would be to eliminate the slip lanes, shortening the crosswalk, and widening the paths along Lincolnville Avenue. This configuration could be tested in a trial-run with painted lines and temporary barriers.
  5. Build a Market Street sidewalk.
    1. A sidewalk the length of busy Market Street, from Main Street to the existing sidewalk in front of the new courthouse would improve pedestrian access and safety.
  6. Accommodate pedestrians and bicyclists on the Kelly Bridge.
    1. Continue efforts to find a way to allow safe passage for residents without cars over the Kelly Bridge on Swan Lake Avenue, as non-motorized users are currently forced to enter the vehicle lane to cross Goose River.
  7. Create a Rail Trail/Kaler Road loop for pedestrians and cyclists.
    1. Improve Kaler Road, Robbins Road, and part of Swan Lake Ave near the Rt. 1 crosswalk.
    2. Create a 5.1 mile walk/run/roll loop that would become a prized recreational asset for Belfast, improving quality of life for city residents and appealing to the growing population of outdoor-oriented tourists.

 

Vision (2008) PDF

 

Troy Howard Trail Feasibility Study (June 2002) PDF

 

Belmont Ave Pedestrian and Bicycle Master Plan (March 2013) PDF

 

Belfast Walkability Audit (March 2014) PDF