Two middle schools will become one this coming school year and the buzz is real, but the question on many people’s minds is singular – traffic and safety. The city and school district have been working to ensure children and parents have a safe, convenient means of getting to school, while keeping in mind those that use Broadway for the critical arterial that it is.

There is a lot to consider, explored further in this article.

Road safety PSA

South Portland school start times have been staggered to alleviate traffic congestion. Brianna Soukup photo/Press Herald

The South Portland Police Department would like to remind everyone who walks to school to use crossing guards to stay as safe as possible. In anticipation of the new school, a number of experienced crossing guards have been placed at strategic locations to help guide parents and children to school. The intersections include Cash Corner, Broadway/Westcott, Main/Froswick, and Westbrook/Westcott.

The school start times have also been staggered to alleviate traffic congestion.

For walkers: Only walk on low-volume streets and sidewalks, and only cross the street at crosswalks. Make eye contact with drivers and cyclists to ensure that it is safe to cross.

For drivers: Please drive the speed limit and stay alert for pedestrians and cyclists. There will be an increased number of young active commuters who are small and harder to see. And remember, if a school bus is stopped, do not pass it.

For young cyclists: Only cycle in bike lanes, multi-use paths, and low-volume streets. If you are younger than 16, you can bike on the sidewalk, but be sure to slow at driveways and stop at intersections to ensure it is safe to cross.

Improvements made

Many sidewalk ramps along Broadway have been brought to ADA-compliance in the past year to ensure that the walking route along Broadway is traversable by all. The city continues to improve pedestrian crossings in the area with rapid rectangular flashing beacons and ADA ramps as part of the Broadway bond. The city also hopes to build off the improvements made to Cash Corner last year. Cash Corner now has a multi-use path on the south side with pedestrian-activated buttons for crossing.

Future neighborhood byway

The city has been working on a concept neighborhood byway that runs from the Westbrook Street multi-use path at Westcott Street to the Greenbelt at Evans and Broadway. This neighborhood byway would utilize neighborhood streets and traffic calming measures to provide cyclists and pedestrians a low-volume, low-stress means of getting through and within Cash Corner, Thornton Heights, and Ligonia.

Regardless of whether this byway is funded, the South Portland Bicycle-Pedestrian Committee meets monthly to discuss ways we can create a safe, convenient east-west connection for cyclists and pedestrians. Find out more on the city’s website.

Participate in the future of Cash Corner

If you have a stake in the future of the Cash Corner neighborhood, the city’s planning department would love to hear from you. The city is updating its comprehensive plan and will be hosting two infrastructure and redevelopment planning sessions on Sept. 18: from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. and 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. For more information, visit https://southportland2040.com/get-involved.

Our Sustainable City is a recurring column in the Sentry intended to provide residents with news and information about sustainability initiatives in South Portland. Follow the Sustainability Office on Instagram @soposustainability.

Cashel Stewart is sustainable transportation coordinator for South Portland. He can be reached at cstewart@southportland.org.