March 29, 2024
BANGOR DAILY NEWS (BANGOR, MAINE

State’s transportation proposals to go on the road

DOVER-FOXCROFT — The details of the Urban Compact and Rural Road Initiative proposal, a comprehensive transportation plan for Maine’s roads, are being presented this month to municipal officials in a series of meetings throughout the state.

One Piscataquis County official, who served on the advisory committee during the preparation of the proposal, does not favor the document.

The proposal, which was developed over the summer with guidance from 24 municipal officials representing both urban and rural areas and the Department of Transportation, addresses the deteriorating conditions of Maine’s roads.

Also addressed was the DOT’s anticipated funding shortfall, the increasing costs for maintaining and improving roads, and the flat-funding of the Local Road Assistance Program.

The meetings, sponsored by the Maine Municipal Association, will be held Jan. 14 at Madison Town Hall; Jan. 21 at the Ashland Community High School cafeteria; Jan. 26 at the Sangerville Town Hall; Jan. 27 at the Lincolnville Central School; and Jan. 28 at the Machias High School cafeteria. The meetings all will be held from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

The Maine Municipal Association Transportation Advisory Committee has provided each town with a packet of information on the proposed document.

The proposal links the Local Road Assistance Program, which provides money to towns for road upkeep, to a percentage of the highway fund, which is a change in the funding formula. This change would make the Local Road Assistance Program more like the revenue-sharing system whereby municipalities would receive additional highway revenue as the highway fund expands.

Additionally, because neither municipalities nor the state can address all of the issues alone, a partnering program is proposed in which towns can request additional state revenue to make improvements to minor collector roads in those communities.

According to the MMA, the proposal also addresses an equity issue in the funding formula found in the Local Road Assistance Program, so that additional resources can be provided to communities that take over maintenance of state roads in so-called “compact areas.”

Dover-Foxcroft Town Manager Owen Pratt, whose name is listed as a member of the MMA Transportation Advisory Board, said Tuesday that there are still some questions that need answers. He said at this point he does not back the document.

“This means that our public works department would have to take over the maintenance of about five miles of urban-state roads in addition to our duties now,” Pratt said. In exchange, the town would be compensated about $34,000 a year.

Pratt said he wondered if the town could take on the added responsibility for $34,000 without hiring more crew and purchasing more equipment. He questioned the availability of money to establish a capital account for paving and maintenance and wondered if the maintenance included storm drain systems.

“Thirty-four thousand dollars is not much money when it comes to maintaining roads, and our public works crew at this time is maxed out,” said Pratt.

Asked who would ultimately approve the document, Pratt guessed that a town meeting vote would be necessary because of the big implications it had for the town.

“We’re the only town in Piscataquis County that this urban compact affects,” he said. That’s because the municipality fits the criteria for receiving funds.

Pratt said there are other aspects of the proposal that affect other towns. This is a complete redoing of state assistance as it applies to roads for municipalities, he explained.


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