LINCOLNVILLE – Residents are so upset with the conditions of two state highways running through this coastal town that they are petitioning officials to withhold state fees until something is done about the tire-jarring, nerve-wracking situation.

The petitions ask the Select Board to “cease any and all payments” to the state until Routes 52 and 235 are properly repaired. Payments that would be withheld come from automobile registrations and hunting and fishing licenses, among other sources.

The petitions are in businesses all over town and have drawn a lot of interest. The deeply rutted highways which are pockmarked with potholes and cracks also have inspired the creation of bumper stickers.

“The petitions are being signed by everybody in town, and the bumper stickers are selling like hot cakes,” said Laurie Start, an employee at Drake’s Corner Store on Route 52. “We keep selling out, and he keeps bringing us more.”

The $3 bumper stickers carry slogans such as “Sorry I’m late, I took Route 52” and the more graphic “Route 52 sucks.”

Justin Doan, who created the bumper stickers, said he resorted to humor out of frustration over how the roads were allowed to deteriorate. At the time he was unaware of the petition and the petitioners were unaware of him. He already has sold 100 and will have an additional 60 on the street today.

“I noticed an awful lot of chatter on the subject, and I thought maybe we could get something done in a different way,” he said. “It seemed like the appropriate things weren’t being done so I thought I’d escalate the chatter. It’s not normal to let a road deteriorate to that point.”

Petition organizer Andy Young said the idea to withhold payments to the state had “been kicking around amongst a lot of people for quite some time.” Young said that the two state highways were in deplorable condition and that the town’s needs were not being attended to by the state. He said the roads had deteriorated to the point where resurfacing would be little more than a Band-Aid.

Municipalities are required to pay the state a proportion of a number of fees, such as automobile registrations, plumbing and septic permits, hunting and fishing licenses, weapons permits and many others, according to Town Manager David Kinney.

Young, the owner of Bald Rock Builders, said the bad roads had created problems for his business for the past few years. He said that because of their condition, the state posts the roads against heavy truck traffic early in the spring. Those postings keep big trucks out of town and force Young to delay construction jobs, postpone hirings and lay off employees.

“I understand the state budget crisis, but it’s having an effect on the economy. Just as the interstates are important to the state’s commerce, our local roads are important to our local commerce,” Young said. “I’m not doing this as a businessman. I’m doing it as a resident of the town of Lincolnville.”

Kinney said he had spoken to Department of Transportation Commissioner David Cole about the situation and was assured the state was aware of the problem. Kinney said the DOT had scheduled some resurfacing in this year’s budget.

He said that while the town handles the snow removal and sanding on the two highways, the state was responsible for their maintenance. In the five years he has been on the job, little has been done on either highway, Kinney said. He described what the DOT has planned for the roads as a holding action, not a fix.

“There is a fair amount of unrest in town due to the conditions of 52 and 235. It’s been bad for a real long while, and it’s not getting any better soon. People are frustrated, and they are looking for relief wherever they can get it,” Kinney said. “Just about anybody who comes in here to register a car or a dog has a comment on the roads.”

Kinney said residents were aware that Gov. John Baldacci plans to attend the U.S. National Toboggan Championships at the Camden Snow Bowl this weekend and that they were urging him “to swing through Lincolnville on his way in or on his way home.” Residents have asked the governor to meet with the Select Board, road commissioner and other officials while he is in the area. They also have suggested that the ride on Routes 52 and 235 would be much more exciting than the toboggan run.

“We’ve been advocating our case through the appropriate channels to try and see if we can get help for our roadways,” Kinney said. “Infrastructure is an asset and if you have an asset, you have to maintain it. We take care of our own roads. They’re not perfect, but they’re a whole lot better than these roads.”

The petitions will be presented to the Select Board at its meeting on Monday, Feb. 11.

wgriffin@bangordailynews.net

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BANGOR DAILY NEWS PHOTO BY GABOR DEGRE

Lincolnville residents who use Routes 52 and 235 are frustrated with bad road conditions that force them to drive 20 mph or less at times. Kathy Christie, a resident who was shopping at Drake’s Corner Store, immediately signed a petition that seeks to stop fee payments to the state until the roads are repaired. “I have heard about the petition, but I haven’t seen it before. The roads are so bad that the plows can’t clear the snow properly, and they leave a lot of slippery spots,” she said.