BELFAST — The City of Belfast will soon have a detailed roadmap for improving its pedestrian and bicycle transportation network, after a spring and summer spent talking to citizens, learning about current challenges, and sketching out future possibilities. 

Since last March, the Belfast Pedestrian, Transportation, and Accessibility Committee (PTAC) has been working with the Maine Department of Transportation (MDOT) and Street Plans, an internationally recognized urban and transportation planning practice, to develop an Active Transportation and Accessibility Plan that will guide the creation of safer, more accessible streets and sidewalks and more dynamic public spaces in the midcoast city. 

Nearly 300 people have completed a short survey asking for their thoughts on active transportation — walking, cycling, using a wheelchair, scooter, or other non-vehicular means of getting around—within the city. Earlier this summer, about 80 people participated in handlebar and walkabout surveys and a kickoff workshop for the plan. 

In the handlebar and walkabout surveys, groups of pedestrians and cyclists traveled through the city on carefully chosen routes and shared their thoughts about their experience with Street Plans and the PTAC. During the workshop, participants gathered in small groups around maps of the city’s streets, identifying places where they feel safe walking, biking, and rolling, and where they do not. 

“We’ve been impressed with the response to the surveys, and with the enthusiasm our neighbors have brought to the planning process,” said PTAC chair Bruce Snider, in a news release. “They’ve been really thoughtful about where they go in town, how they currently get there, and the transportation options they’d like to see in the future. In general, they’re looking for more opportunities to get to school, work, shopping, and appointments safely without a car.”

Street Plans is using that input to draft a plan that will include prioritized recommendations for improving the existing transportation network and creating livelier, more accessible public spaces. Scheduled for completion in December, the plan will include a detailed and prioritized list of proposed infrastructure projects that will guide the city’s efforts for years to come. 

For those who have not yet completed the survey or shared their thoughts, it’s not too late to be part of the process.

"Committee members would love to hear from more folks, especially those who live outside of the Route 1 bypass or operate a business in the city," said the news release.

Another workshop facilitated by Street Plans will be held at the Belfast Boathouse on Wednesday, Dec. 4, at 6:30 p.m.

For more information, contact Bruce Snider at bdeansnider@gmail.com or Bub Fournier, director of code and planning for the City of Belfast at (207) 338-3370, ext. 135.