Working to Improve Bike and Pedestrian Safety in Maine
In 2019, Maine was designated an Age-Friendly State by the AARP Network of Age-Friendly States and Communities. This designation is a major step toward making Maine even more livable for people of every age. The Age-Friendly State designation is igniting new partnerships at every level from our smallest communities to state agencies. It also offers the opportunity to celebrate existing ones, such as the collaboration between AARP Maine and the Bike and Pedestrian Coalition of Maine.
Many Maine communities have expressed an interest in making sure local residents can bike and walk safely in their communities and neighborhoods. According to the Maine Bureau of Highway Safety, the number of pedestrian deaths in 2019 nearly tripled compared to 2018. This disturbing trend underscores the importance of our work together now and in the years ahead. That’s why AARP Maine and the Coalition are working together in communities across Maine.
With funding from the Maine Department of Transportation (MDOT) as well as AARP Maine, the Coalition engages in local bike and pedestrian-friendly projects. For example, in 2019, the Living Well in North Yarmouth Group wanted to calm traffic in North Yarmouth’s village center where residents had noticed an increase in speeding. Two radar speed trailers were placed along routes which local advocates had identified as being particularly unsafe. While both trailers flashed the speed of passing vehicles, one of the trailers collected data to be used to identify average speeds, maximum speeds, and times of peak use. Local advocates and public officials will use that data to find ways of calming traffic, and to make North Yarmouth safer for motorists and pedestrians alike. This is just one instance of MDOT, The Bicycle and Pedestrian Coalition of Maine, local residents and municipal representatives all working together towards a common cause.
In another example, the city of Bangor worked with MDOT and the Coalition to address safety concerns by installing traffic calming elements in three locations on Harlow Street. Each installation slowed motorists and increased safety for pedestrians by improving visibility of existing crosswalks. Flexible posts were placed around the three crosswalks and painted lines were added to the street to more clearly delineate boundaries of the curbs and crosswalks. In addition, parking spots which were too close to crosswalks (and therefore not in compliance with MaineDOT requirements) were removed. Walk-n-Roll and Imagine People Here joined the Coalition and MDOT on this project.
Spring and summer are, of course, the months when Maine’s beautiful bike trails and walking trails are in use, and smaller towns welcome many more visitors. AARP Maine and the Coalition hope to engage Maine volunteers and community leaders more broadly this year through creative and fun outdoor events and trainings on local bike and pedestrian advocacy. If you would like to join our efforts, please send an email to me@aarp.org or visit www.bikemaine.org/advocacy for resources and tools. If you have an idea about a bike or pedestrian safety project for your community, we would love to hear about it! Improving the safety and walkability in towns across Maine will have a positive impact on residents of all ages.
Jane Margesson, AARP Maine Communications Director
Address: 53 Baxter Blvd, Portland.
Phone: 1-866-554-5380
Email: jmargesson@aarp.org
Facebook: www.facebook.com/aarpmaine
Twitter: www.twitter.com/aarpmaine
Website: www.aarp.org/me
