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1 Introduction 1.1 Project Background The Maine Department of Transportation (MaineDOT), in partnership with the Office of the Governor, the Maine Office of Redevelopment and Re-Employment, the Towns of Brunswick and Topsham, and the Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority (MRRA), initiated this Transportation Feasibility Study to promote development of immediate and long-range transportation improvement strategies that support the phased redevelopment of the Naval Air Station Brunswick (NASB). The 2005 Base Realignment and Closure Commission decided to close the Naval Air Station Brunswick, Maine, including the Topsham Annex (NASB), 1 and to relocate its aircraft with dedicated personnel, equipment, and support to Naval Air Station Jacksonville (Florida). As Maine's second largest employer, the NASB once employed more than 4,800 military and civilian personnel. In 2007, it provided more than $187 million to the local economy, including $115 million in salaries, $38 million in contracts and material purchases, and $34 million in medical purchases. 2 The loss of this economic driver could have a substantial impact on the economy of the Midcoast Region. However, redevelopment of the Air Station and Annex represents an opportunity for economic growth if several issues identified in the December 2007 NASB Reuse Master Plan are properly addressed. The Reuse Master Plan envisions the development of 1,690 acres of the Air Station and Annex, or roughly half of their combined area (i.e., 3,274 acres); the other half would be reserved for open space. The developed area would encompass a mix of land uses, including a civilian airport, professional office space, residential space, commercial and retail space, recreational and park, and educational uses. The Reuse Master Plan predicts that the redevelopment has the 1 For the purposes of this document and unless stated otherwise, all references to NASB include both the Cooks Corner and Topsham Annex facilities. 2 Brunswick Naval Air Station Reuse Master Plan, December 2007, prepared for the Brunswick Local Redevelopment Authority by Matrix Design Group. Introduction 11
potential to eventually replace the lost jobs and economic activity associated with the NASB. A critical issue identified in the Reuse Master Plan is that access to the NASB must be improved for the redevelopment to reach its full potential. A strategy to improve access should consider a wide range of transportation factors, including the adequacy and safety of the existing roadway network, feasibility of additional public transportation options, freight and passenger rail access, and adequate accommodations for pedestrians and bicyclists. It is estimated that ultimately under a maximum build-out scenario, the traffic generated by the redeveloped NASB facility could increase to at least twice the preclosure levels. This scenario has the potential to exacerbate congestion delays and safety issues along the roadways (e.g., Pleasant Street) and at intersections (e.g., Cooks Corner) that are currently experiencing lower levels of service (LOSs). Although some of the impacts may be mitigated through the creation of additional points of access to the adjacent street system at the NASB, the 2007 Reuse Master Plan identified certain off-site improvements as necessary to accommodate the increased traffic volumes. This Transportation Feasibility Study is based on recent and concurrent planning efforts associated with the NASB and the Midcoast Region, including the Brunswick Naval Air Station and Topsham Annex Reuse Master Plans, December 2007; the US Route 1 Corridor Study, Brunswick, 2007; the Gateway 1 Corridor Action Plan, June 2009; and the ongoing US Navy Base Closure Environmental Impact Statement. These studies clearly indicate that current access to the redeveloped NASB is inadequate and would seriously constrain the successful implementation of the Reuse Master Plan and the economic vitality that is so important to the Midcoast Region. This Feasibility Study considers and compares, at the macro level, the transportation efficiency, cost, right-of-way (ROW), constructability, environmental, and community impacts of specific strategies and options, which range from relatively low cost easy to implement improvements to major reconstruction or expansion of the existing infrastructure. The Study considers multimodal options including the existing and future movement of people and goods by rail, transit, truck, and automobile, as well as the needs of pedestrians and bicyclists. 1.2 Study Area, Defined Strategies, and Options The Study Area for this Feasibility Study is generally bounded by Interstate 295 (I- 295) to the west between Exits 28 and 31, by State Route 196 to the north, and by US Route 1 and Bath Road to the east and south. However, as discussed herein, specific areas within this more general area were defined further in order to focus the Study. Introduction 12
Page 1 and 2: Transportation Feasibility Study Re
Page 4 and 5: Table of Contents Executive Summary
Page 6 and 7: 4.11.1 Maine Street/US Route 1 Inte
Page 8 and 9: List of Figures Figure No. Descript
Page 10 and 11: Executive Summary Introduction/Back
Page 12 and 13: motorists to get out of their vehic
Page 14 and 15: along each of the cross roadways. U
Page 16 and 17: leg of the intersection, which prov
Page 18 and 19: Route 1 intersection could be consi
Page 22 and 23: Throughout this Feasibility Study,
Page 24 and 25: 1.4.1 Public Informational Meetings
Page 26 and 27: Table 1.4-3. Study Advisory Committ
Page 28 and 29: F CATHANCE RIVER MEADOW RD W HITEHO
Page 30 and 31: as a principal arterial and extends
Page 32 and 33: membership fee of $35. ZipCar membe
Page 34 and 35: network, with the goal of providing
Page 36 and 37: Androscoggin River Bicycle and Pede
Page 38 and 39: 2009 Design Hour Volume The unit of
Page 40 and 41: Table 2.2-1. Existing Traffic-Volum
Page 42 and 43: USE CROOSING RD JESSE RD D AUGUST C
Page 44: Table 2.2-3. Unsignalized Intersect
Page 47 and 48: were identified, individual police
Page 49 and 50: determined to be HCLs. A sixth inte
Page 51 and 52: HOUSE CROOSING RD JESSE RD RD AUGUS
Page 53 and 54: grocery store. The size of the pond
Page 55 and 56: The Strategy 2B Study Area east of
Page 57 and 58: Sections 435-449). However, the riv
Page 59 and 60: Areas mapped by the NRCS as Prime F
Page 61 and 62: OUSE CROOSING RD JESSE RD RD AUGUST
Page 67 and 68: the MRRA. This report presents info
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to have covered the entire town. No
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Table 2.4-1. Properties Listed in t
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Town/Address /Location Name Brief D
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unclear whether any other additiona
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Strategy 2B Based on field observat
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P USE CROOSING RD JESSE RD D AUGUST
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3 Future Conditions 3.1 Introductio
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3.3 NASB and Topsham Annex Trip Est
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(also known as internal capture). A
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4 Summary of Options 4.1 Introducti
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Site Walk Access Improvements: This
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4.5 Passenger Rail and Bus Rapid Tr
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and then overpasses US Route 1 adja
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parallel to US Route 1. They termin
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MAP-41 LOT-14E MAP-41 LOT-14D MAP-4
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MAP-41 LOT-17B MAP-44 LOT-1 MAP-44
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o o Options 3A and 3B assess the po
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short distance (i.e., 0.1 mile) bef
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4.7.5 Option 3A Option 3A (Figure 4
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Option 5 widens and reconstructs a
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HORTON PL REST DR UV196 ANTHONYAV 2
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AV Map R05A Lot 30- Map R05A Lot 31
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Map R04 Lot 18- Map R04 Lot 47-2 LL
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4.8 Strategy 2B - Improve Mobility
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four options, and the maximum benef
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oundabout from the south. This opti
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MAP-U25 LOT-20 Bailey Ln Ln B ailey
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MAP-U24 LOT-2A River Rd MAP-U24 LOT
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MAP-U25 LOT-20 MAP-16 LOT-1 Bailey
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MAP-U25 LOT-20 MAP-16 LOT-1 Bailey
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Option 1 includes continuous sidewa
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MAP-U23 LOT-94 MAP-U23 LOT-90 Map U
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The primary challenge with Option 1
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Town of Brunswick, Maine MAP-U04 LO
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Town of Brunswick, Maine 1 £¤ And
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Results of the preliminary screenin
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Summary of Options 136
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5.1.2 Traffic Operations As previou
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5.1.4 Cost Estimates Planning-level
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impacted property. However, using t
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Bath Road. The following signalized
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5.2.3 Build Options A traffic-opera
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(USACE) if it is selected for advan
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oadways located on the northeast an
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intersection of US Route 201 and Ol
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etaining a signalized intersection
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5.2.3.4 Strategy 2C - Improve Mobil
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Environmental Impacts Environmental
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6 Conclusions The purpose of this F
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Because the secondary connector roa
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Appendix B Throughout the study, th
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From: missysdad@hotmail.com [mailto
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everyday traffic for doctor visits
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carpool, mass transit, or other. Wh
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decision makers are going to faced
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From: cwiercinski@sitelinespa.com S
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From: mar-e_trebilcock@msad51.org [
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From: Chris Baker, Harpswell [chris
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I thought that the Topsham Coastal
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From: charris@tidewater.net Sent: F
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Brunswick, ME 04011 207-729-0787 Al
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proposals it requires the most land
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From: cp348@aol.com [mailto:cp348@a
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Do NOT add to mailing list. Email s
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'inner' Pleasant Street is a barrie
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We are requesting that as part of t
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