A CLOSER LOOK

Here’s the list of the nine measures planned for improving pedestrian safety at Cape Elizabeth’s town center:

• Installing a new, signalized crosswalk across Route 77 at the high school driveway, which would be tied into the existing traffic light.

• Installing in-road stanchions at the Key Bank crosswalk and at the Town Hall crosswalk.

• Providing a bucket of red flags at either side of the three crosswalks on Route 77 for individuals to carry to improve their visibility.

• Enhancing the paint on each crosswalk.

• Installing six signs indicating no passing in the bike lane.

• Installing signs at the sides of each crosswalk indicating vehicles must stop for pedestrians in crosswalks.

• Stronger enforcement of laws requiring vehicles to stop for pedestrians in crosswalks.

• Requesting the Maine Department of Transportation commissioner to review the speed limit in the town center area.

• Convening a team of two town councilors, a school board member, the police chief and town manager to meet four times in 2009 to evaluate pedestrian issues in the town center.

It’s going to be safer to walk the streets of Cape Elizabeth’s town center, town councilors expect after approving a nine-point stopgap plan to allay some residents’ concerns.

The council on Dec. 8 OK’d measures ranging from better enforcement of traffic laws – including speed limits and crosswalk rules – to installing a crosswalk with a signal at the intersection of Route 77 and the high school entrance.

The decision came only one month after the council tabled a controversial intersection project design for a stoplight and crosswalks at the intersection of Shore Road, Scott Dyer Road and Route 77/Ocean House Road.

The new measures will address safety concerns more economically until a final decision on the intersection project design is made in May, said Town Councilor Anne Swift-Kayatta.

“The council (was looking for) less expensive yet effective short-term actions to improve safety in the town center,” Swift-Kayatta said. “We feel this plan does that.”

Town Manager Michael McGovern developed a list of short-term solutions for pedestrian safety in the town center. He met with Cape Elizabeth Chief of Police Neil Williams and Public Works Director Robert Malley before addressing the council, McGovern said.

“All would be done right away, except for (creating and repainting) crosswalks, due to temperatures needed for paint,” McGovern said.

The improvements will be paid for through already budgeted funding, McGovern said.

The crosswalk and the signal at the high school would be part of a bond issue that has already been approved and funding for the other items would come from this year’s sidewalk maintenance account.

The plan is estimated to cost $12,200, with the new crosswalk costing about $8,000. Painting the crosswalk in the spring would cost about $1,500, and new signage would cost nearly $2,000, McGovern said. In-road stanchions would cost about $660 and red flags for pedestrian visibility would cost about $40.

The council will still address completing the nearly $1.1 million intersection project that it tabled, Swift-Kayatta said.

If the council approves that project, as the DOT has recommended, the town would pay for design costs through a $140,000 bond and use a $363,000 grant from the Portland Area Comprehensive Transportation System. The balance would come from the DOT.

“It’s been tabled so that the council could consider all the budgetary proposals, including this one,” Swift-Kayatta said. “We have increasing expenses and we have decreasing revenues. It will be challenging, but we are all going to work together to see what we can do.”

The Cape Elizabeth Town Council has adopted a nine-point plan to increase pedestrian safety, including increased enforcement of crosswalk laws and a signal at the entrance to the high school on Route 77.