Midcoast Leaders Tackle Transit, Traffic, and Coastal Resilience in Regional Site Visit
- cnutt23
- Aug 25
- 4 min read
“These are not just transportation issues—they’re community issues. If we can move people safely and reliably, we can move our towns forward.”
-workshop participant
From Bath’s shipyard gates to Brooks’ village center, transportation challenges across the Midcoast took center stage this week as over 100 local leaders, business representatives, and state and federal officials gathered over the course of two days as part of a site visit hosted through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Thriving Communities Program.
The visit spanned Sagadahoc, Lincoln, Knox, and Waldo counties, highlighting both the shared concerns and the creative solutions that communities are pursuing to strengthen mobility, safety, and economic growth.
A Push for Safer Streets and Sidewalks
Whether in bustling downtowns or rural village centers, calls for better bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure echoed throughout the visit. Bath Iron Works unveiled plans for a new parking garage, paired with green space and pedestrian pathways to improve safety for thousands of employees. Brunswick, Topsham, and Camden outlined sidewalk expansions and bike lane projects aimed at making walking and biking safer and more appealing.
In Waldo County, Belfast rolled out its first citywide Active Transportation Plan, while Brooks is exploring improving safety through adding and improving sidewalks, including new connections from its senior housing complex to its growing village core.
Meeting the Needs of an Aging Population and Workforce
Two challenges stood out across meetings: how to get seniors where they need to go and how to ensure workers can reliably reach jobs. With nearly three-quarters of Mainers over 80 no longer driving, panelists at the Lincoln County stakeholder meeting stressed the importance of volunteer driver networks, on-demand shuttles, and rideshare options to help seniors maintain access to medical care, errands, and social connections. “Transportation is independence,” said Terri Taylor, a volunteer with Lincoln County Friends in Service Helping (FISH), who noted that about half of her rides are for medical appointments, including trips as far as Boston for specialist care. She also mentioned other purposes like behavioral health, addiction treatment, errands, and even student transportation.
At the same time, employers across the Midcoast—from Bath Iron Works to Robbins Lumber—emphasized that reliable commuting options are essential for retaining and growing the workforce. In Waldo County, MidCoast Public Transit added that increasing awareness of existing on-demand and MaineCare transit services is just as critical as expanding them, since both older residents and workers often don’t know what options are available.
Route 1: A Corridor of Concern
The Midcoast’s main artery was a recurring flashpoint. Thomaston officials described dangerous cut-through speeding on side streets, while Camden’s Director of Planning, Jeremy Martin, shared early success using speed-feedback signs and narrowed travel lanes using sidewalks or paint striping to slow traffic. n Brunswick, Cook’s Corner and Route 196 bottlenecks drew concern, while Sagadahoc and Lincoln leaders flagged problem areas, including at Cook’s Corner and Route 196 in Brunswick.
Coastal Resilience
Coastal communities underscored the importance of adapting to both immediate and long-term pressures. In Lincolnville, participants pointed to the dual strain of hosting ferry services—vital to Islesboro but burdensome for the town—and recurring Route 1 flooding at Lincolnville Beach, which has damaged businesses and disrupted local life. Islanders emphasized that the ferry remains a lifeline, not only for daily travel but also for emergency services. The new Director of Ferry Services at MaineDOT spoke to these challenges, noting the operational pressures on the system and the need to plan for expanded and more reliable service to meet island needs.
Rockland, meanwhile, put the spotlight on its waterfront future. Economic Development Director Julie Hashem outlined plans for an improved and resilient Harbor Park designed as a multimodal hub—expanding marine access, strengthening pedestrian and downtown connections, and creating opportunities for future transit and rail integration.
Together, these perspectives revealed how coastal resilience in the Midcoast must account for both the day-to-day challenges of maintaining vital links and the long-range vision needed to keep waterfronts functional, connected, and adaptable.
Transportation as Economic Development
Speakers also tied transportation directly to economic vitality. BIW leaders said the company’s $4 million investment in roads, sidewalks, and parking was about more than convenience—it was key to retaining its workforce. In Waldo County, Robbins Lumber described freight and workforce hurdles, underscoring how employers depend on reliable connections for both employees and shipments.
Maine Switching Services highlighted the importance of rail freight to the Midcoast economy, noting opportunities for moving commodities like granite, propane, and agricultural products, and the potential to expand passenger excursions as well. Searsport’s Town Manager, James S. Gilway, reflected on the legacy of Sears Island, where a portion of land was set aside decades ago for future transportation investment, keeping alive the idea that it could one day serve a critical infrastructure role.
Together, these perspectives underscored how both people and goods depend on a stronger, more resilient transportation system.
Building Momentum
The strongest takeaway from the site visit was how much communities gain from learning directly from one another. By bringing together town officials, state agencies, employers, transit providers, and community advocates, the sessions created space to compare notes and share practical solutions. Participants noted that issues like senior mobility, connectivity, Route 1 congestion, and bottlenecks often look different from one town to the next, but discussing them together revealed common threads and fresh ideas. The visit underscored how peer problem-solving can spark new approaches and help ensure that transportation investments are both effective and widely supported.
“These are not just transportation issues—they’re community issues,” one participant summed up. “If we can move people safely and reliably, we can move our towns forward.”
Next Steps
Staff from the national capacity building team, RCAP Solutions, National Association of Development Organizations, and the Community Engineering Corps are developing an online comprehensive transportation baseline study, with public-facing resource materials to help orient residents and visitors to transportation options in the Midcoast. The study is expected to be completed this winter.
In September, MCOG and its capacity-building team will apply for a federal grant to fund a rural transit feasibility study. Input from the site visit, along with ongoing regional transportation working groups, will shape the scope of that effort. The goal: to ensure the study becomes a practical tool for guiding and implementing future rural transit improvements.
See below for the slide decks and minutes presented at each meeting (no slides for Lincoln County):
To get involved in these efforts, please contact Adi Philson, aphilson@midcoastcog.com