PENOBSCOT NARROWS STUDY: PASSENGER TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS October 25, 2006 Penobscot Narrows Advisory Committee Dave Milan, Bucksport Goodwin Ames, Orland Lionel Harvey, Verona Island Elwin Bointon, Prospect Prepared with technical assistance from the Hancock County Planning Commission and the Eastern Maine Development Corporation with funding from the Maine Department of Transportation. Opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of the grantor agency. Contents Introduction ................................................................................................................................2 State and Regional Context .........................................................................................................3 Strategic Passenger Transportation Plan ..................................................................................3 Gateway 1 ...............................................................................................................................4 Downeast Maine Rural Development Initiatives......................................................................5 Local Conditions.........................................................................................................................6 Population...............................................................................................................................6 Housing...................................................................................................................................6 Economy.................................................................................................................................7 Employment Trends ............................................................................................................7 Taxable and Retail Sales......................................................................................................9 Tourism, Recreation and Amenities.......................................................................................12 Prospect.............................................................................................................................12 Verona Island ....................................................................................................................14 Bucksport..........................................................................................................................14 Orland ...............................................................................................................................16 Summary...........................................................................................................................20 Transportation Demand, Infrastructure and Services..................................................................21 Traffic Patterns......................................................................................................................21 Commuting Patterns..............................................................................................................22 Freight...................................................................................................................................23 Tourism.................................................................................................................................24 Travel Demand .........................................................................................................................24 Bicycle and Pedestrian Access...............................................................................................27 East Coast Greenway.........................................................................................................27 Bicycle Tourism Promotion...............................................................................................27 Water-based Transportation and Recreation ..........................................................................28 Transit Services.....................................................................................................................30 Summary...............................................................................................................................32 Strategic Transportation Alternatives ........................................................................................34 Introduction...........................................................................................................................34 Improve Pedestrian Access and Safety ..................................................................................35 Improve Pedestrian Access and Safety ..................................................................................36 Prospect.............................................................................................................................36 Penobscot Narrows Bridge Pedestrian Way .......................................................................37 Verona Island Pedestrian Alternatives ...............................................................................39 Bucksport..........................................................................................................................43 Orland ...............................................................................................................................45 Bicycle Access and Safety.....................................................................................................46 Close the Gap – Brewer to Bucksport ................................................................................47 River Access .........................................................................................................................49 Transit Services.....................................................................................................................51 Fixed Route Service ..........................................................................................................51 On Demand Service...........................................................................................................53 Subscription “Commuter” Service.....................................................................................54 Seasonal Bus Service.........................................................................................................54 Funding.............................................................................................................................54 Traveler Information .............................................................................................................55 Product..............................................................................................................................55 Price..................................................................................................................................56 Promotion..........................................................................................................................56 Placement..........................................................................................................................57 Multi-tiered Information Program .........................................................................................57 Internet..............................................................................................................................57 Print Media........................................................................................................................58 Directional Signage ...........................................................................................................58 Interpretive Signage ..........................................................................................................60 Conclusions ..............................................................................................................................63 References ................................................................................................................................65 1 Introduction The Penobscot Narrows area, primarily consisting of the towns of Prospect, Verona Island, Bucksport and Orland, has new opportunities for economic development. Change is coming as the historic Waldo-Hancock Suspension bridge is replaced by a landmark cable-stay bridge and observation tower, the coordinated “Gateway 1” initiative sets a new tone for coordination between transportation, land use and economic development, and local venues like Fort Knox and the Bucksport waterfront grow in popularity. This study examines passenger transportation options for the Penobscot Narrows area of Hancock and Waldo counties in Maine. The report begins with a summary of the local context, including demographic, economic, land use and transportation trends. This is followed by a more detailed analysis of transportation data, including recent trends and future projections. Recent planning efforts in the towns of Prospect, Verona Island, Orland and Bucksport are considered in light of these trends. The study identifies major assets in the four towns and how these can be packaged to accommodate a variety of transportation modes. The adequacy of existing transportation services is considered and recommendations are offered for ways to increase the range of transportation options. The study concludes by presenting recommendations for transportation-related