By Amanda Estes

Staff Writer

Practicality taking priority over aesthetics is the message Cape
Elizabeth town officials will take to the Maine Department of
Transportation (MDOT) for the town center intersection following a town
council workshop on Monday.

Town councilors discussed the feasibility of several design options
developed during an earlier public design workshop, hosted by the Road
Safety Working Group before agreeing to continue with the original
proposal’s design details.

As presented during a Sept. 19 public hearing, MDOT’s original plans
call for a four-way signalized intersection. Scott Dyer Road and Shore
Road, currently offset by 110 feet, would be realigned and two choker
islands would be constructed north and south of the intersection on
Route 77. Two triangular, slightly raised concrete islands would be
built within the intersection to slow traffic.

Town Manager  Michael McGovern said MDOT’s project cost estimate
is currently at $900,000. The Portland Area Comprehensive
Transportation Committee (PACTS) awarded Cape Elizabeth a $437,000
grant for the project.

Residents joined town and MDOT officials on an Oct. 27 site walk and
then worked in small groups to develop concept plans for the town’s
major intersection.

Concept plans created during the workshop ranged from a four-way
signalized intersection and realigning Scott Dyer Road, relocating
Scott Dyer Road to the north opposite Jonesy’s service station, a
four-way signalized intersection similar to MDOT’s plan and the
construction of a roundabout at Route 77 and Shore Road.

Much of the council’s discussion Monday focused on the roundabout as
several councilors said they were initially in favor of the design, but
with more information realized it wouldn’t be practical.

According to a summary provided by Senior Transportation Engineer
Thomas Errico with Wilbur Smith Associates, who could not attend
Monday’s meeting, the roundabout concept plan called for the
realignment of Scott Dyer Road to the north and limiting the road to a
one-way westerly flow between Route 77 and the entrance to the Thomas
Memorial Library. The plan also called for the creation of green space
north and south of Scott Dyer Road and crosswalks  on all sides
and legs of the roundabout.

Instead of a traffic signal, Town Planner Maureen O’Meara said the
intent of the narrow circle is to slow traffic down to 5 miles per
hour. She said, in concept, the design resembled the roundabout in
South Portland’s Knightville neighborhood.

According to Errico’s summary, the roundabout would require significant
acquisition of right-of-way from abutting property owners. The Coldwell
Banker real estate office would be particularly hard hit, losing
parking and the front yard, O’Meara said.

In addition, Errico determined traffic from Scott Dyer Road to Shore
Road or Route 77 south would have to be re-routed to Hill Way and Route
77 access would no longer be available for one or more properties. The
roundabout would also be more expensive to construct and would be more
time consuming for public works to maintain.

During the workshop, O’Meara highlighted property lines on a roundabout
plan designed by Errico. She said she asked MDOT staff to draft a
roundabout plan last month, but was told the work would have to be sent
out to a separate firm and would come at an expense of $1,500 to the
town.

Richard Berman, a member of the Road Safety Working Group, spoke during
Monday’s workshop and said Errico’s design did not reflect the plan
developed in concert with residents.

“That’s the ugliest design for a roundabout I’ve ever seen in my life,” Berman said.

He said during the October workshop, MDOT officials said the plan would not require significant property acquisition.

Councilor Cynthia Dill, however, countered MDOT staff got residents’
hopes up and took a huge leap of faith that the property owner would
agree to the acquisition when MDOT officials said the roundabout could
be accommodated by relocating the real estate office’s parking to the
rear of the building.  

Carol Fritz, also a member of the Road Safety Working Group, said a
roundabout keeps traffic moving at a slow pace and prevents pedestrians
from having to travel long distances through the intersection.

“The MDOT proposal is an extremely uninteresting proposal,” Fritz said.
“I hope you’ll take it one step forward to explore the roundabout idea.”

Councilors, however, largely did not agree with the unnecessary taking of private property.

“I can’t justify in my mind taking private property so an intersection
can be prettier,” said Dill, who owns property near the intersection.

Councilor David Backer said the roundabout concept was more consistent
with the town’s character, but reluctantly agreed the traffic signal is
the most practical solution.

Sara Lennon said she continued to favor the roundabout more than the
other options because she said residents do not want the town center to
have “big city” character.

Council chairman Mary Ann Lynch said she wanted MDOT to come back to
the town with a plan that included crosswalks, sidewalks and greenery –
elements that were absent from their preliminary plans.

That process of developing a more detailed set of plans will likely cost the town another $100,000, McGovern said.