FARMINGTON — Selectmen on Tuesday evening, Nov. 26, agreed by consensus to continue exploring a new state program that could pay to improve pedestrian safety at downtown crosswalks.
Jim Kiernan, a Farmington Public Works employee installs new flashing lights Wednesday, Nov. 27, at the crosswalk on Main Street in Farmington. A tour of downtown crosswalks was held Nov. 14 by town and MDOT officials to consider additional changes to make beyond blocking one parking space in front of the Post Office [also seen here] and by Dunkin’ Donuts. Pam Harnden/Livermore Falls Advertiser
The site visit came about following the death of Robert J. Leso of Chesterville while trying to cross the street by the Farmington Post Office on Nov. 4. Since then, the town has blocked the parking space next to the crosswalks on both sides of the road to improve visibility.
Five representatives from Maine Department of Transportation, Police Chief Kenneth Charles, Farmington Fire Rescue Chief Tim “TD” Hardy, Hutchins, Public Works Foreman Jim Kiernan and LaCroix were present. Recommendations from the visit include:
• Adding curb extensions [bump outs] to reduce the crossing distance and time for the pedestrian in the street and improve pedestrian and driver visibility.
• Decreasing the angle of the crossing to a right-angle.
• Raising the crossing with vertical speed control elements to encourage lower speeds and elevate the pedestrian which creates better visibility.
A barrier blocking the parking space next to the crosswalk near Dunkin’ Donuts is seen Wednesday, Nov. 27, on Main Street in Farmington. The barrier was added following a pedestrian fatality earlier in the month. Pam Harnden/Livermore Falls Advertiser
“We broached this the other night with the [Downtown] TIF meeting,” LaCroix said. “There are some options that we could do there that aren’t going to cost a ton of money.”
Village Partnership Initiative [VPI], a fairly new state program, will provide match funding, LaCroix said.
During the site visit up to $50,000 was mentioned, but it may be $60,000-$75,000 based off a document about the initiative, Hutchins noted.
The funding would enable visibility and safety improvements, LaCroix said. Doing those first is expected to push the planned paving to 2027, she noted.
MDOT gave a pedestrian safety walk discussion and recommendations on site, Hutchins said. “They mentioned the Village Partnership Initiative which is similar to Municipal Partnership Initiative [MPI],” he noted. “This qualifies for downtowns, for historical villages, so there is a lot of money in the pot. This program has only been out since 2022 so it is fairly new. I don’t believe there is a maximum like the $1.25 million for MPI.”
VPI will cover where MPI ends at South St., will continue from Front St. all the way to Box Shop Hill, Hutchins said. The program is for economic enhancements, pedestrian and bicyclist safety, he noted. New sidewalks and better lighting are possible projects, he stated.
“It is the same process to apply for this as the MPI,” Hutchins said. “Since there are not many communities applying for VPI, we were encouraged to apply for it. This will cover Main Street and Broadway, all of the downtown. It is similar to MPI but there is going to be some more historical applications in the process, some historical research on this, some pedestrian data as well.”
Chair Joshua Bell asked if any mention had been made of moving the crosswalk from its current location by Dunkin’ Donuts. His thought was to move it closer to The Pierce House and Franklin Savings Bank where parallel parking is used. “If on the north side, closer to the Post Office, there would be a whole driveway space, a lot of visibility there,” he said. “On the other side there is just parallel parking. It would involve moving lights.”
“People would have to walk a half block down, they don’t do that now, Selectman Dennis O’Neil said.
The crosswalk provides less visibility headed south with diagonal parking, Bell noted. Farmington has been fortunate, Paul Mills looked it up, the last pedestrian fatality was in 1937, he said.
Moving the crosswalk was discussed, those from MDOT agreed it would create more problems than it solved, LaCroix stated. Expanding the sidewalk out further into the road would address the diagonal parking issue, she noted.
Bell asked how snow removal would be affected with bump outs.
There are different patterns for bump outs, Hutchins said. One raises the crosswalk, the other moves the blinking signs out into the street more so they aren’t behind vehicles with pedestrians standing in a different pattern out in the road, he noted.
Selectman Byron Staples plows near the Broadway crosswalk, wasn’t sure how that would affect turning with a plow.
When asked, Hutchins said there were not a lot of suggestions for the Broadway crosswalk near Renys.
More lighting to make it more visible was one suggestion, LaCroix said. She suggested holding a meeting with stakeholders to let them ask questions, raise their concerns and share preferences. It is not their decision, but would keep them in the loop, she noted.
“My focus is all about safety,” LaCroix added.
“At least with the grant money it makes sense,” Staples said. “No matter what we do it makes sense for us to go forward and at least investigate it further.”
Comments are not available on this story.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
