TOPSHAM
Topsham is taking part in the Maine Department of Transportation’s pedestrian safety project after the town saw seven pedestrian crashes between 2012 and 2016.
The MDOT Multimodal Planning Division reached out to the town several months ago about participating in the “Heads Up, Pedestrian Safety” project, an idea spurred by recent pedestrian crashes in the state. The number of these crashes that have resulted in fatalities has increased in the past two years. From 2010-14, the state saw an average of 10.4 deaths per year.
MDOT is funding the project and has identified 21 focus communities, including Topsham. In addition to education, the program will include a public forum, which is tentatively scheduled for Sept. 18 at 6 p.m. at Mt. Ararat High School.
The forum will include members of the MDOT, Bicycle Coalition of Maine and local leaders, including the Topsham town manager, director of public works, the chief of police, the planning director and principals of the schools in Topsham.
Assistant Planner Carol Eyerman told the Topsham Board of Selectmen at their meeting Thursday that there will also be a site visit to the top five locations pinpointed by the citizens.
The process will result in a pedestrian safety mitigation plan with both long- and short-term alternatives for reducing pedestrian crashes.
Selectmen supported the project but had questions about whether or not the MDOT will fund projects to mitigate identified pedestrian safety issues. Eyerman said there isn’t extra funding available, but said that if infrastructure is needed MDOT would reprioritize existing projects.
Selectmen voted 4-0 in favor of participating in the “Heads Up, Pedestrian Safety” project and approved 10 local leaders listed in Eyerman’s memo to serve on the ad hoc committee to shepherd the process.
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