By Scott Taylor,Staff Writer

LEWISTON – Three lanes beats four, Lewiston’s Planning Board said Monday night.

Repainting Lisbon Street’s lanes from two in either direction to a lane apiece separated by a center turn lane got Planning Board backing.

Chairman Jeffrey Gosselin said it’s not a perfect solution to speeding south Lisbon Street traffic. The best plan would be to widen the road, making Lisbon Street a five-lane thoroughfare for much of its length.

That would cost $8 million and would take several years to happen.

“I think we’re all realistic,” Gosselin said. “Five lanes are just not an alternative in the short term. Three is the right next step.”

But the board also recommended that the city complete a study on Lisbon Street traffic as soon as possible and begin the process of making it a five-lane road.

Now the matter goes to the Lewiston City Council tonight. The council’s meeting begins at 7 p.m.

The board gave developer Nino Naous a thumbs-up on a plan to build a convenience store at 1930 Lisbon Road. He plans to build 3,674-square-foot convenience store with a sandwich shop and a Dunkin’ Donuts concession. His store would have an automated car wash and five fuel pump stations.

The board had no problem with Naous’ store, approving his plan unanimously on the condition that he find a way to make Lisbon Street five lanes, repaint it to make it three lanes, or allow only right-turning traffic into his store.

Engineer Mike Gotto of Technical Services Inc. said it’s up to the City Council whether Naous’ plan goes forward. Naous has agreed to restripe at least the first 1.4 miles between the Lisbon line and the South Lewiston Road. It will cost about $50,000 to grind off the old paint and put down new lanes.

It would cost about $100,000 to restripe the road between the Lisbon line and Westminster Street, he said.

Engineers and neighbors agreed that five lanes is the best solution, but three lanes would do for now. Lisbon Street changes from two lanes – one in each direction – to four lanes at the Lisbon town line. Traffic speeds up, making left turns dangerous. Cars waiting to turn left into Lisbon Street businesses risk being rear-ended by swift moving cars.

“It’s a nightmare, almost like motor speedway,” said Pat Butler of Butler Brothers. He called repainting the road for three lanes a step that would allow development along Lisbon Street while the city investigates its five-lane options.

“Five is best; it’s not practical now,” he said. “If we want to see further development down the road, this is the step we need to take now.”

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