Lincolnville Comprehensive Plan
Inventory: Transportation
INTRODUCTION

A good transportation system is one of the glues that binds a community together. As we approach the 21st century, it is imperative that Lincolnville and surrounding communities have transportation systems that adequately serve the needs of the people while maintaining the quality of life in our town. Wise planning decisions on the part of local and State officials in the coming decade are necessary to accomplish this goal.

ROADS

State Classification of Roadways The road system in Lincolnville links residents in the community with the rest of Mid-Coast Maine and beyond. The Maine Department of Transportation (MDOT) has set up a state-wide functional classification of roadways, defined as follows:

Arterial Highways These are roads that MDOT defines as the most important in the state. They are designed to carry significant high-speed long-distance traffic. When improvements or upgrades are necessary to these roads, substantial Federal funding is usually available. The only arterial highway in Lincolnville is U.S. Route 1.

Collector Highways These are defined by the MDOT as roadways that collect and distribute traffic to the arterial roads. As a general rule, they serve places of lower population density. Examples of collector highways in Lincolnville are Routes 173, 52 and 235. The State provides routine maintenance to these roadways, and the town has the responsibility for plowing and sanding.

Local Highways These roads are defined by MDOT as all roads not in the first two categories. They generally carry low volumes of traffic.

State statistics show Lincolnville has 4.01 miles of arterial roads, 18.18 miles of collector roads and 38.29 miles of local roads, with a total length of 60.48 miles of roadway.

Town Classification of Roadways The town of Lincolnville maintains approximately 28.5 miles of public roads, 19.95 miles of paved road and 8.55 miles of gravel roads. These are roads that are town maintained and plowed. In addition to the traveled ways, there are a number of discontinued and abandoned roads within the town, which will be covered in a later section.

Please note the discrepancy between the State calculation of local roads and the Town's figure.

In most Maine communities, the maintenance, repair and upkeep of roads accounts for the second highest percentage of a municipal budget; Lincolnville is no exception. With an eye toward anticipating future road maintenance and repair costs, the Town Administrator and Road Commissioner have recently developed a five-year road management plan for the town. This work should result in significant benefits to the community. As the following table indicates, the plan identifies the road name, its section description, length, improvement explanation, and in some cases, the year and anticipated expenditure of money.

The anticipated improvements listed in the following tables are identified by numbers that correspond to the following explanation.

0 = No work planned for five year period 1991-1995
1 = Ditching
2 = Preventive maintenance (e.g. grading)
3 = Resurfacing (3" minus)
4 = Resurfacing (6" bank run)
5 = Reconstruction
6 = Deferred Action

Please note that many roads in Lincolnville are paved in one section and
gravel in another section. The following tables attempt to make that distinction.

Paved Roads
Gravel Roads
Source: Lincolnville Town Office

Lincolnville's Abandoned and Discontinued Roads Like many Maine communities, Lincolnville has miles of abandoned and discontinued roads. Over the years, the status of these roads has created some confusion as to the responsibilities of the Town and the landowners abutting these roads, and the actual status of many roads is not clear.

In a nutshell, the following distinctions exist between discontinued and abandoned roads. On roads discontinued before 1965, no public easement remains and title to the roadbed reverts to the abutting property owners. On roads discontinued after 1965, a public easement remains in effect, unless a town votes to specifically relinquish that easement. On roads that were established prior to 1946, there is a presumption of abandonment if a town fails to maintain a road for 30 consecutive years. This abandonment has the same effect as a discontinued road.

Source: Municipal Roads Manual Maine Municipal association, (1986)

Road Traffic Over the years, the DOT has measured the Average Annual Daily Traffic (AADT) at selected sites in Lincolnville. The figures outlined in the following table illustrate gradual increase in traffic counts, at most locations, over the period.
Source: Maine Department of Transportation

The figures show a gradual increase of traffic over the measuring period, at three of the four sites, reflecting similar increases in other Mid-Coast communities. On Route 1 at Lincolnville Beach, AADT Volume increased almost 22% from 1983 to 1987. The increase in traffic volume at Lincolnville Center increased almost 28% during the same period, while Route 52 experienced a hefty 59% increase in volume.

The increase in traffic during this period reflects two realities of life in Mid-Coast Maine. First, Lincolnville and surrounding towns have become very popular communities in which to live. Between 1981 and 1991, 358 permits for new housing units were issued in Lincolnville. Many surrounding communities experienced similar growth during that period. In addition, Mid-Coast Maine continues to grow in popularity as a tourist destination.

Traffic Safety Many factors contribute to traffic safety. In the context of a comprehensive plan, it is important to analyze the data provided by the DOT and the input of community officials and citizens who have first-hand knowledge of road hazards in their communities.

The MDOT uses a nodal system for identifying and computerizing all reported accidents located on public roads throughout Maine. The Nodal system uses a four-point index called a node to identify reference points along roadways, such as intersections and bridges, and a Link to define those stretches of roads between Nodes. When an accident takes place, a variety of statistical information is generated in the MDOT computer system. Some of this information is important in helping us analyze traffic safety in Lincolnville..

During the three-year period studied, January 1987 to December 1989, there were a total of 161 accidents reported in Lincolnville. Of this total, 61 were along Route 52. In the link from the Camden line to Youngtown Road, there were 16 accidents with a critical rate factor of 1.72. The Maine Department of Transportation considers locations with more than four accidents in a three-year period and a critical rate factor greater than 1.00 to be problem areas. Route 1 had 48 accidents during the same three-year period. Nine of those accidents were located in the general area of Lincolnville Beach. Rounding out the accident total were 24 accidents on Route 173, 10 accidents on Route 235, and 18 accidents on other roads in Lincolnville.

Conversations with the Lincolnville Road Commissioner and other concerned citizens confirm the dangerous nature of that stretch of Route 52 from the Camden line to Youngtown corner. Other concerns of residents are:

1) the posted speed of 50 MPH on Route 1 in the Ducktrap Village area; 2) the intersections of Routes 173 and 52 in Lincolnville Center, both at Route 52 Variety and north of the General Store; 3) the intersection of Slab City Rd. and Route 173; and 4) unenforced 35 MPH limit on Route 1 at the Beach.

Parking Issues Generally speaking, parking has not been a major concern of Lincolnville residents. An inventory of parking sites at Lincolnville's beaches and ponds is contained in the recreational section of this plan. At other public facilities such as the school, Town Office, and Post Offices there is adequate off-street parking for most public functions. When there is a large turnout for a public event at the school or Town Office, however, parking occasionally overflows onto the adjacent roadway.

Most commercial establishments in Lincolnville provide adequate off-street parking for automobiles. Unfortunately, some businesses do not have adequate space for delivery trucks. Some concern has been expressed by the public about the numbers and positioning of curb cuts to commercial establishments on Route One.

At a public meeting on transportation issues, several issues arose concerning parking in Lincolnville. The first concern involved parking along Route 52 near the "Ledges", adjacent to Megunticook Lake. In this area, the road is narrow and the road shoulders are clearly inadequate to park vehicles safely. It is interesting to note that this is the same stretch of road identified by the State as having an unacceptable Critical Rate Accident Factor. The second problem area exists at Lincolnville Beach. On most days parking is not a problem, but parking capacity on summer weekends and some week days has reached its maximum, regardless of Islesboro day tippers. On certain summer weekends, however, day trippers to Islesboro overwhelm the State and local parking facilities available at the Beach.

Ordinances and Regulations Concerning Roads and Parking At the March 1990 Town Meeting, residents voted to require that private ways must be brought up to the road design standards contained in the Lincolnville Subdivision Ordinance before such a way shall be accepted by the Town. This vote clearly puts the responsibility on residents on these private ways to bring them up to town standards before consideration will be given to accepting them as town roads.

In 1986, an ordinance was passed prohibiting overnight parking in the municipal parking lots of the town. At that time, problems had arisen with the overnight parking of trucks at the Beach parking lot.

In the summer of 1991, town officials posted certain sections of town roads as no parking zones and empowered the town constables to issue parking citations to violators.

Route 1 Reconstruction and an Inland Bypass Perhaps no other issue in recent memory so galvanized public opinion as the issue of improvements to Route 1 and the possibility of a bypass in the Mid-Coast area. The MDOT has been concerned about Route 1 for some years now, and vacillates between supporting "Reconstruction" of Route 1 and building an inland bypass. Naturally, local residents are concerned with each of these proposals. The reconstruction of existing Route 1 would substantially alter the roadbed and nearby homes, while a bypass would change the entire character of the inland area.

If the State accepts Federal road building funds for the reconstruction of Route 1, certain strings are attached. To accept Federal money means to build the road to federal standards, which would have a very severe impact on the Beach area. Many town residents feel that it is more appropriate to make small improvements, within existing roadbeds, than to tear up either Route 1 or the inland hills with major construction projects. Route 1 in Lincolnville is widely regarded as one of the truly scenic stretches of that highway still remaining.

In July of 1990, Dana Connors, Commissioner of the MDOT, announced that plans to build a bypass through Hope and Lincolnville had been dropped. Events do change, sometimes rather quickly. In the spring of 1991, the MDOT awarded a $380,000 contract to a Massachusetts consulting firm to study the Mid-Coast corridor from Bath to Belfast. Since decisions based on this study and future MDOT actions could have far-reaching implications for residents of Lincolnville, it is important for Lincolnville residents to continue to participate in and to understand the transportation issues affecting our town and region.

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION

Bus Service The Waldo County Committee for Social Action provides bus transportation for residents of Lincolnville on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Reservations are required, and fares of approximately $2.50 are charged to the general public. Some of the buses are wheelchair accessible. Visits to medical facilities can be arranged with a corps of volunteer drivers. Greyhound, which formerly served the Mid-Coast area, ceased its coastal run in March of 1990. As of the fall of 1991, no other interstate bus carrier has picked up the coastal route.

Ferry Service The MDOT operates regular ferry service from Lincolnville Beach to Islesboro. A more detailed discussion of the terminal and supporting facilities is found in the Marine Resources section of this plan.

Air Service Lincolnville residents are served by the Knox County Airport located at Owls Head. Continental Express provides service to Boston and Bar Harbor. Penobscot Airways provides local service to the islands of Penobscot Bay. There is also a small airport in Belfast.

Taxi Service Lincolnville is served by two taxi services in Camden. Fares vary with the distance traveled.

Limo Service Residents of Lincolnville are also served by a limousine service in Camden. The primary function of this service is to provide connections with the Portland Jetport and bus terminals. The average one-way tariff to Portland is $27.