Franklin Street and Exit 7 Meeting Wednesday

7/26/2010 - Franklin Street and Exit 7 Meeting Wednesday
Public meeting to discuss next steps for Franklin Street

WHAT- This Wednesday, the City of Portland, Maine Department of Transportation (MDOT), and the Portland Area Comprehensive Transportation System (PACTS) will host a public meeting to discuss next steps for the Franklin Street corridor including a feasibility study of design concepts developed during last year’s public process and improvements to I-295 Exit 7 to ensure that a bicycle/pedestrian connection at Marginal Way to the Back Cove is created safely. The public is encouraged to attend and share their thoughts and suggestions for these two topics that are integral to the redevelopment of the East Bayside and Bayside Neighborhoods.

Last year, the City of Portland and the Franklin Study Committee engaged in a public process to re-imagine an important gateway to the city. At the conclusion of this process, the public identified three designs that might help improve the transportability of the area and the interconnectedness of the neighborhood. The design alternatives included a multi-way boulevard with four lanes in the center and two side access lanes providing parking and bicycle use; an urban street with bicycle lanes and parallel parking; and an urban parkway with landscaped median limited parking and parallel bicycle path. For more detailed information and to view the results of the Franklin Study Committee’s work, visit the city's website.

Wednesday’s meeting marks the beginning of the second phase of the city’s process to improve Franklin Street by gathering public input for a feasibility study that will help define the scope of work for the project. People can visit the city’s website for updates as the process progresses.

Also as a part of this meeting, the city and its partners MDOT and PACTS will discuss improvements on the I-295 Exit 7 and the Pedestrian Safety Evaluation Process including the steps needed to provide a bicycle/pedestrian connection to the Back Cove Trail from Marginal Way that is safe.

Members of the public are encouraged to RSVP for the meeting at 874-8823.

When: Wednesday, July 28, 2010
5:30 PM – 6:45 PM Franklin Street Feasibility Study Discussion
7:00 PM – 8:30 PM I-295 Exit 7 Discussion

Where: East End School Community Center
195 North Street, Portland

###