A roundabout? Selectmen to hear traffic re-routing proposal at next meeting

Knickerbocker and MDOT expected plans for altering Route 27 and Corey Lane traffic
Thu, 02/18/2016 - 12:00pm

Some big changes may be in store for state Route 27 and Corey Lane in Boothbay. Knickerbocker Group and Maine Department of Transportation representatives will present a traffic re-routing pattern to the board of selectmen during the Wednesday, Feb. 24 meeting, which will begin at 7 p.m. at the Boothbay Town Office

Planning Board chairman Fran McBrearty informed his committee members Wednesday Knickerbocker Group and MDOT would present a preliminary proposal during the meeting’s public portion.

“That’s my understanding and I encourage everybody to attend. It looks like an awful lot of changes are going to happen,” McBrearty said.

On Thursday, Boothbay Town Manager Dan Bryer confirmed that Knickerbocker and DOT representatives would attend the meeting. According to Bryer, the plan is a private initiative supported by Boothbay Harbor Country Club, Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, and other businesses and individuals to address traffic flow problems. He indicated a DOT representative has worked with the private group for several months developing the proposal.

During the Feb. 17 planning board meeting, McBrearty indicated the Boothbay-Boothbay Harbor Joint Economic Development (JED) Committee had seen preliminary designs for the proposal. McBrearty and Knickerbocker Group Chief Executive Officer and owner Steve Malcom are committee members.

According to McBrearty, the plans include a roundabout near the municipal building, straightening out Chapel Street, and the Back River Road will come into the roundabout. The proposal includes a private individual purchasing the ambulance property and and building a new facility in a different location.

McBrearty didn’t recall whether the proposed roundabout was in the same location as a past proposal’s.

“I’m not sure. I think it comes almost in front of the town hall’s parking lot and the ambulance building is going away,” he said.

“The selectmen haven’t been approached or discussed it,” Bryer said. “I have heard rumors. I don’t have any facts, only what I’ve heard.”

McBrearty expects The Knickerbocker Group’s and MDOT’s presentation will use the same colored plats shown the JED committee.

“They talked about what the whole thing is eventually going to look like. There’s going be a lot of banners and flowers hanging on light poles. The plan is to make it look a real New England village.”

Bryer said the town wasn’t involved in any aspect of developing the proposal.

“The private group is currently working with the MDOT. If at some point, they wanted to involve the town, any money involved would have to go on a warrant,” Bryer said.

The private group has shared preliminary designs with town officials during the past couple months, according to Bryer.

”We’re open to hearing more about it,” Bryer said. “We’ve had conversations with them in the past two months. But the selectmen hasn’t decided if this is something the town should be a part of it at this time.”

The selectmen will meet at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 24 in the municipal room.

Editor’s Note: An earlier version of this story indicated that Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens was a sponsor of this traffic plan. It does support the plan but it is not a sponsor.