The boards of selectmen in Edgecomb, Newcastle, Nobleboro, Damariscotta and Waldoboro have scheduled public information sessions on the proposed Route 1 Corridor Management Plan. The meeting schedule at the various town offices is: Edgecomb (April 21 at 6 p.m.), Newcastle (March 24 at 7:15 p.m.), Nobleboro (April 9 at 7 p.m.), Damariscotta (April 2 at 5 p.m.) and Waldoboro (March 25 at 6 p.m.).

Several years ago, the Department of Transportation and the Lincoln County Commissioners identified Route 1 as one of three corridors of regional economic significance in the county. Over the past year, a joint committee appointed by the five boards developed a plan for future improvements to that portion of the Route 1 corridor between the Davey Bridge and the Warren town line (Wiscasset recently completed the Bath Road Management Plan for its portion of Route 1.)

The plan covers the roadway, intersections, pedestrian and bicyclist facilities, safety, aesthetic and rail improvements and, potentially, seasonal bus service. For the purposes of the plan, the Route 1 corridor includes the Maine Eastern Railroad corridor, Route 1B, Center Street in Nobleboro and Main Street in Waldoboro.

As part of the project, the committee assembled a wide range of traffic and environmental data, including traffic volumes, accident statistics, existing local regulations, demographics, land use, economic development and housing data and information on natural and scenic resources. The committee also reviewed existing road conditions, identified locations where new or improved facilities are or may be necessary and developed an overall set of recommendations to guide the future of the Route 1 corridor. 

The draft plan is available for viewing by the public on the town websites as well as at lcrpc.org/uploads/visual_edit/route1cmp14a1.pdf.

The purpose of the meeting is to gather comments and recommendations from the selectmen and the public. Pending any changes to the plan, the boards will be asked to endorse the plan and forward it to the Maine Department of Transportation where it will serve as a guide for the Department when it plans future work in the Route 1 corridor. For questions or additional information, the public is asked to contact Lincoln County Planner Bob Faunce at rfaunce@lcrpc.org or 207-784-2617.