Sarah Devlin - Gorham East West Corridor Feasibility Study

Gorham East West Corridor

Feasibility Study

Improving Decision Making by Integrating

Land Use and Transportation

Sara Devlin

Maine Turnpike Authority

GrowSmart Summit

October 23, 2012

Study Overview

• Began in 2007 – 4 town

joint resolution

• LD 1720 directs Maine

Turnpike Authority/

MaineDOT to study:

“existing highway

infrastructure and future

capacity needs west of Route

1 in Cumberland County,

including the Gorham Area”

• Joint MTA/MaineDOT

Study

2

Study Overview

• What is this study evaluating? – Traffic congestion in Study Area

– Safety issues in the Study Area

– Loss of rural character/quality of life

– WHY these problems exist

– Where should transportation dollars be invested over the long term?

– How should we be shaping our region for the future?

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Study

Area

Map

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Study Approach

• Empowered Steering Committee

• Address transportation concerns raised

by 4 towns and in LD directive

• Also evaluate the effects that land use

has on transportation and vice-versa

• Look regionally

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The Region in 2035

• 70% of growth in Maine forecasted to be in Cumberland and York Counties*

• Over 110,000 new people and 52,000 new jobs in Cumberland and York counties*

• 6 6

* - Dr. Charles Colgan, USM

Time and Change

• Historic growth provides insight to the future

• Consider what the Study Area would look

like if trends continue into the future - if

everything stays the same

• What would need to be done to change

these trends?

• And who might make these changes?

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Gorham: 1925

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Gorham: 1950

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Gorham: 1975

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Gorham: 2000

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Gorham: 2010

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Gorham: 2035

Why has this happened?

• Residential development along existing

roads

• More affordable land to the west

• Relatively cheap fuel

• Historically, Mainers generally favor rural,

not urban environments

• Land use regulations allow development to

occur in most places 14 14

The Study Area in 2035

• 35,000 new houses - 9,200 additional acres of consumed land - 15 square miles

• 25,000 new jobs - mostly in retail and service

• 50,000 new people

• Jobs and homes continue to grow farther apart

• People spend 50% more time in their cars compared to today

•

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Urban AND Rural

Land Use Pattern

Testing a regionally accepted

alternate land use pattern

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Urban-

AND-

Rural: New Jobs

65% to

Urban (16,200)

30% to

Inner (7,400)

5% to

Outer (1,200)

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Urban-

AND-Rural: New Housing

Units 35% to

Urban (12,200)

45% to

Inner (15,700)

20% to

Outer (7,000)

“LEGO” Workshop

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Roadway Scenarios

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Transportation Sustainability

Three-Legged Stool

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Tra

nsit

Conclusions

• Evaluating both Land Use and

Transportation scenarios critical to success

• Need State and Local policies that connect

Land Use and Transportation

• Best benefit comes from balancing

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