Two Lights State Park is set to receive some upgrades to improve safety and ease traffic congestion.

The Cape Elizabeth Planning Board at its Sept. 17 meeting unanimously approved a site plan for improvements at the state park that would replace the existing control station booth, improve the access road to the park, create a shared-use path and add a three-space staff parking lot.

“This project, specifically, is being funded through the American Rescue Plan Act and the Maine Recovery and Jobs Plan,” said Owen Blease of the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands, and has a funding deadline of Dec. 24.

The booth, currently at the entrance, will be moved deeper into the park “to alleviate traffic issues and improve traffic flow,” Blease said. A three-space parking lot for staff members will be installed nearby.

The access road will be widened and realigned while a shared-use path will be added alongside it for pedestrians and cyclists.

“Right now, those pedestrians walk down the side of the road and then traffic needs to go around them,” explained Project Manager Jeremy Prue of Pine Tree Engineering. “We think it’s an improvement to have a shared-use path.”

Planning Board members agreed the proposed plan would improve traffic flow for not just the park but residents living in the neighborhood.

“This would most likely improve traffic flow for the people who live down there and for you all to make it easier to get people in and out,” said board Chair Jon Sahrbeck.

Sahrbeck also noted that the adjustments to the access road provide space for drivers to turn around “so, if you get people who don’t want to pay and they want to do a U-turn, they do it right at the gate” as opposed to having to drive deeper into the park to find a place to turn around.

However, the code enforcement office requested lighting be provided at the booth. Engineers provided lighting in their updated site plan, but they and board members argued it isn’t needed.

“They said it was a code requirement and, to be honest, I’m not sure they were aware this is a building that closes at dusk,” said Town Planner Maureen O’Meara.

Sahrbeck agreed.

“I personally don’t think lighting is needed for this particular project,” he said. “The gate is remaining in place. It closes at sunset. No one’s supposed to be down there (after dark).”