Having parking on Main Street isn’t all good, and the state project will improve Wiscasset’s downtown, some area senior citizens told Maine Department of Transportation project manager Ernie Martin Oct. 19. Others offered ideas including resurrecting the bypass plan; and a few reiterated concerns about a hit to businesses and a local tax hit from maintenance costs.

Martin spoke and took questions at the Senior Center’s weekly dinner. He also took notes. And he invited audience members to write any additional questions down and give them to Town Manager Marian Anderson to pass on to him. Selectman Judy Flanagan added that applications for the public advisory committee on the project are online and at the town office; and she said she could leave some at the front desk of the Wiscasset Community Center, which houses the Senior Center.

At the discussion’s outset, Martin briefly recapped the planned improvements to aid motorists’ and pedestrians’ mobility and safety, including removing parking on Main between Middle and Water streets. He told attendees it’s a project now, meaning MDOT will fund it in 2018. “The department’s going to pay 100 percent of the project. That’s a pretty good deal.” The town will be responsible for electricity and other maintenance costs, and possibly extras like bathrooms if the town asks for them, he said. The cooperative agreement selectmen postponed Oct. 18 is a legal document but does not commit the town to costs, it just shows that the town is willing to have MDOT do the project, Martin said. “There’s no obligation to the town by signing that agreement.” A second agreement will follow, he said.

Robert Wentworth suggested an overhead walkway with elevators. That could have helped 40 years ago, he’s been asking about it for 40 years, it’s worked perfectly in big cities and he wanted to know why it hasn’t been tried here, he said. Martin called it a good comment and said he would try to get an answer on it.

About 50 people came. The talk was largely cordial and had moments of humor. When former selectman Ed Polewarczyk asked how the state would prevent jay-walking with the new layout, Martin’s “Electric fencing?” response got laughs across the room. That’s not in the planning, but that was his idea, he added, to more laughter. Then he explained there are a number of ways to try to control where pedestrians cross, such as bollards, chains and wrought-iron fencing, but he added it also is a matter of common courtesy and obeying the law.

“But did you like that electric fencing idea?”

“Oh, loved it,” Polewarczyk said, smiling.

Several speakers brought up the state’s pullout of a planned Route One bypass; some suggested a bypass be reconsidered. Doris Pendleton said there’s already one — the side roads in her neighborhood near Castle Tucker. It works and people are able to walk their dogs there, she said.

Others including Sharon Mrozinski questioned the state’s recent decision to forego as much as 80 percent federal funding of the $5 million downtown project. “Wouldn’t that (use of federal funds) be nice if we could do that for the Maine taxpayers,” she asked. When Martin said going with only state money makes the review process go quicker, Mrozinski asked, “What is the rush?”

At that point and elsewhere in the night’s discussion, Martin said the state has tried for a long time to do a downtown project for Wiscasset, and wants to get something done there, to improve safety.

Seaver Leslie spoke for minutes, predicting maintenance costs will be very expensive for the town, including having to replace the new shrubs he said would be killed by the materials applied to the roads and sidewalks in the winter.

“Who says we have to have shrubs,” Martin responded. Leslie continued discussing the impacts he expects the project to have, based on the concept the state presented ahead of the June vote; then Flanagan asked Leslie to give others time to speak. She said he has made those statements before and the purpose of Martin’s being there was to hear from the senior citizens.

He’s a senior citizen, Leslie said. Martin resumed taking questions from other attendees.

Regarding the planned removal of on-street parking, he said the design might include handicapped parking and maybe a two-minute drop-off spot to let someone out and then go park. “There’s things that we can do. But there’s a lot of work ahead of us.”

Nancy Roby recalled nearly being in an accident downtown when she was driving and a vehicle pulled out in front of her from a parking space. “I had to slam on my brakes, and the person behind me almost rear-ended me,” she said. “So it’s not all that safe to have parking on the street.”

As for the various views being voiced in town, Martin said, “I think we can work through this. I think we can all get through this together and wind up with a nice project that we all can enjoy.”

Flanagan said she agreed. “I’m excited about this project. I think it will help the town ..,” she said. The state is replacing the sidewalks, which are uneven in places, she said.

 “I’m not convinced that business is going to dry up because there’s not (storefront) parking,” Flanagan continued. And I went into one new business, and I said, ‘Did you come to Wiscasset ... because you have parking right outside your door?’ (They said) ‘No, I came here because of Red’s Eats. Because of that foot traffic from Red’s Eats.’ And I thought, that made sense.”

Martin said in an interview later, there’s no such thing as bad information right now. It all helps, he said.

Senior Center Chairman Bill Maloney, interviewed separately, said he thought the discussion went well and that the members were able to say what they wanted to. “It’s not a crowd that holds back if they want to ask something,” he said.