Eastern Trail link would connect Scarborough and South Portland
Eastern Trail link would connect Scarborough and South Portland
By Zack Anchors
Staff writer
A new engineering and feasibility report released by the Eastern Trail Alliance (ETA) last week was a step toward filling in what ETA officials say is one of the most critical gaps in the Kittery-to-South Portland trail – a connection between South Portland and Scarborough.
If the connector trail that the report maps out is built, within a few years it would be possible to bike, walk, ski or run from Bug Light to Old Orchard Beach on the trail, without using any temporary on-road links that now make up much of the trail. But for that to happen, said Eastern Trail Alliance President John Andrews, a substantial chunk of money must first be raised.
"The money will be found. But we're not going to do this with lighthouse rides,” Andrews said, referring to the groups annual fundraiser. “We need state, federal or municipal funds – or an extremely generous donation. I think this is something our congressional delegation should look at."
The report maps out eight potential routes for the trail that would run between the Nonesuch River in Scarborough and Wainwright Fields in South Portland, each with varying costs. But the one that was determined to be the most feasible and preferred route was estimated to cost in the range of $1.2 to $1.4 million.
The link between South Portland and Scarborough was one of only two sections of the 55-mile trail that was not included in a 2001 feasibility study. At the time, finding a feasible route appeared too complex and there did not seem to be enough suitable land available. Steve Workman, project manager of the Eastern Trail Management District, said the connection would nonetheless be a crucial element of the Eastern Trail as a whole.
"This would be a vital link because you have two such high-density centers that it would connect," said Workman. "Right now there is an on-road connection, but this area in particular is not a very safe on-road connection."
Currently, much of the Eastern Trail consists of roadways that provide links between scattered off-road sections like the trail that was built across Scarborough Marsh. But the driving vision of ETA is of a primarily off-road trail that runs from Kittery to South Portland. The trail would also be a part of the East Coast Greenway, a primarily off-road trail that would run from Key West, Fla. to Calais, Maine. Right now, in order for trail users to get from the trail in South Portland to the trail in Scarborough, they must travel on Highland Avenue between Wainwright Fields and Black Point Road.
A new section of the trail was recently completed that extends from the Scarborough section of the trail to a dead end at the Nonesuch River near the South Portland border. The preferred route mapped out in the ETA report would require building a bridge across the river where that trail ends, using the abutment of an old granite railroad bridge from the now defunct Eastern Railroad. The trail would then trace the path of the Eastern Railroad corridor until it reaches Pleasant Hill Road. At that point, the trail would follow along the north side of the Pleasant Hill Road until Rigby Road. Between Rigby Road and Wainwright fields would be an off-road section that passes through an area that is part wooded and part industrial.
The ETA is currently moving ahead with a plan to build a new section of the trail that connects Pine Point with Old Orchard Beach. Once that section is completed, only the approximately one-mile connector between Scarborough and South Portland will be needed to provide a complete trail segment between South Portland and Old Orchard Beach.
After narrowing the options down to eight potential trail segments, the ETA report, which was created by the engineering firm Wilbur Smith Associates, used cost, environmental considerations and the complexities of potential land use negotiations as primary factors in identifying a preferred route. The study also involved two public meetings with residents of the area, numerous site visits and the input of a steering committee made up of various stakeholders, including representatives from the South Portland and Scarborough municipal governments. Workman said that at the public hearings area residents expressed concerns on a number of issues, but were generally enthusiastic about the connector. One underlying issue, said Workman, was a feeling among residents that by attracting more people to the area, the completed trail would compromise the safety of their neighborhoods and cause problems with traffic and littering.
"What typically happens, though, when you look at other trail systems around the country, is that crime drops and littering drops," said Workman. "People care about the trail and take on ownership of the trail."
Residents of Pond View Road, in particular, were concerned about the impact of a trail on their neighborhood, especially if the road became an on-road portion of the trail, as was considered. Workman said the report incorporated the residents’ concerns and chose a preferred route that would minimize impact on the road.
Although a preferred route has been pinned down, Workman said there is still a possibility that another route could be ultimately chosen. Changes in ownership of properties, possible funding outcomes or other unforeseen circumstances might lead to a change to the current route selection, he said.
Completion of the Scarborough and South Portland connector is likely a few years away, if not more. After finding funding, there will be more public hearings and a final engineering study. Finally, a bid would be put out for construction of the trail and work would begin.
Although most of the trail has been funded with federal and state dollars, municipalities have also contributed on certain projects. The 2.4-mile trail that crosses the Scarborough Marsh was paid for, in part, by the town of Scarborough, as well the new trail that dead-ends at the Nonesuch River. That segment, known as the Desfosses Trail, also benefited from the generosity of the Desfosses family, whom donated the land it was built on.
One likely source of funding for the trail could be through earmark funding in federal transportation funding, which would require efforts by Maine's congressional delegation in Washington D.C.
By Zack Anchors
Staff writer
A new engineering and feasibility report released by the Eastern Trail Alliance (ETA) last week was a step toward filling in what ETA officials say is one of the most critical gaps in the Kittery-to-South Portland trail – a connection between South Portland and Scarborough.
If the connector trail that the report maps out is built, within a few years it would be possible to bike, walk, ski or run from Bug Light to Old Orchard Beach on the trail, without using any temporary on-road links that now make up much of the trail. But for that to happen, said Eastern Trail Alliance President John Andrews, a substantial chunk of money must first be raised.
"The money will be found. But we're not going to do this with lighthouse rides,” Andrews said, referring to the groups annual fundraiser. “We need state, federal or municipal funds – or an extremely generous donation. I think this is something our congressional delegation should look at."
The report maps out eight potential routes for the trail that would run between the Nonesuch River in Scarborough and Wainwright Fields in South Portland, each with varying costs. But the one that was determined to be the most feasible and preferred route was estimated to cost in the range of $1.2 to $1.4 million.
The link between South Portland and Scarborough was one of only two sections of the 55-mile trail that was not included in a 2001 feasibility study. At the time, finding a feasible route appeared too complex and there did not seem to be enough suitable land available. Steve Workman, project manager of the Eastern Trail Management District, said the connection would nonetheless be a crucial element of the Eastern Trail as a whole.
"This would be a vital link because you have two such high-density centers that it would connect," said Workman. "Right now there is an on-road connection, but this area in particular is not a very safe on-road connection."
Currently, much of the Eastern Trail consists of roadways that provide links between scattered off-road sections like the trail that was built across Scarborough Marsh. But the driving vision of ETA is of a primarily off-road trail that runs from Kittery to South Portland. The trail would also be a part of the East Coast Greenway, a primarily off-road trail that would run from Key West, Fla. to Calais, Maine. Right now, in order for trail users to get from the trail in South Portland to the trail in Scarborough, they must travel on Highland Avenue between Wainwright Fields and Black Point Road.
A new section of the trail was recently completed that extends from the Scarborough section of the trail to a dead end at the Nonesuch River near the South Portland border. The preferred route mapped out in the ETA report would require building a bridge across the river where that trail ends, using the abutment of an old granite railroad bridge from the now defunct Eastern Railroad. The trail would then trace the path of the Eastern Railroad corridor until it reaches Pleasant Hill Road. At that point, the trail would follow along the north side of the Pleasant Hill Road until Rigby Road. Between Rigby Road and Wainwright fields would be an off-road section that passes through an area that is part wooded and part industrial.
The ETA is currently moving ahead with a plan to build a new section of the trail that connects Pine Point with Old Orchard Beach. Once that section is completed, only the approximately one-mile connector between Scarborough and South Portland will be needed to provide a complete trail segment between South Portland and Old Orchard Beach.
After narrowing the options down to eight potential trail segments, the ETA report, which was created by the engineering firm Wilbur Smith Associates, used cost, environmental considerations and the complexities of potential land use negotiations as primary factors in identifying a preferred route. The study also involved two public meetings with residents of the area, numerous site visits and the input of a steering committee made up of various stakeholders, including representatives from the South Portland and Scarborough municipal governments. Workman said that at the public hearings area residents expressed concerns on a number of issues, but were generally enthusiastic about the connector. One underlying issue, said Workman, was a feeling among residents that by attracting more people to the area, the completed trail would compromise the safety of their neighborhoods and cause problems with traffic and littering.
"What typically happens, though, when you look at other trail systems around the country, is that crime drops and littering drops," said Workman. "People care about the trail and take on ownership of the trail."
Residents of Pond View Road, in particular, were concerned about the impact of a trail on their neighborhood, especially if the road became an on-road portion of the trail, as was considered. Workman said the report incorporated the residents’ concerns and chose a preferred route that would minimize impact on the road.
Although a preferred route has been pinned down, Workman said there is still a possibility that another route could be ultimately chosen. Changes in ownership of properties, possible funding outcomes or other unforeseen circumstances might lead to a change to the current route selection, he said.
Completion of the Scarborough and South Portland connector is likely a few years away, if not more. After finding funding, there will be more public hearings and a final engineering study. Finally, a bid would be put out for construction of the trail and work would begin.
Although most of the trail has been funded with federal and state dollars, municipalities have also contributed on certain projects. The 2.4-mile trail that crosses the Scarborough Marsh was paid for, in part, by the town of Scarborough, as well the new trail that dead-ends at the Nonesuch River. That segment, known as the Desfosses Trail, also benefited from the generosity of the Desfosses family, whom donated the land it was built on.
One likely source of funding for the trail could be through earmark funding in federal transportation funding, which would require efforts by Maine's congressional delegation in Washington D.C.
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