#induceddemand — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #induceddemand, aggregated by home.social.
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Oh, and of course, I knew once #AmazonCorp announced plans to build a warehouse in #GorhamME, the #GorhamConnector would rear its ugly head again... And even though #JanetMills' brother #PeterMills is no longer in charge of #MDOT doesn't mean the new director won't be pushing this... Instead of a light rail system or rapid bus transit on the existing roads (and / or safer bike lanes. I knew friends who used to bike from Gorham to Portland, but it got too dangerous because of a lack of dedicated bike lanes and speeders).
#MDOT will launch new examination of traffic issues west of Portland
The state study will focus on Gorham, #ScarboroughME, #SouthPortlandME and #WestbrookME.
Robert Lowell, April 22, 2026
Excerpt: "The announcement of the new study comes just days before Amazon goes to the Gorham Planning Board on May 4, seeking approval for a warehouse and distribution center on Main Street (Route 25). Traffic will likely be one issue fueling concerns about the Amazon project.
"The study also comes in the aftermath of plans the Maine Turnpike Authority shelved last year for a four-lane toll road connector to Gorham. The connector was aimed at reducing commuter rush-hour traffic in the routes 22 and 114 commuter corridor [which the #Maine Legislature failed to make go away!]
"A connector would have linked the roundabout at South Street (Route 114) and the southerly end of Gorham’s Bernard Rines Bypass with the turnpike’s Exit 45 in South Portland. The connector proposal was met with a public outcry because it called for cutting a swath through #SmilingHillFarm in #WestbrookME."
Archived version:
https://archive.md/Rh3bH#MainePol #InducedSprawl #Maine #RuralLife #SaveTheFarms #SaveRedBrook #MainersForSmarterTransportation #Maine #MaineNews #GorhamBypass #GorhamSpur #Maine #RapidTransit #SaveTheFarms #ProtectTheForest #InducedDemand #Sprawl #SaveRedBrook #ProtectTheWetlands #BrookTrout #SaveTheForest #Wildlife #HuskyLine #RapidBusTransit
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Oh, and of course, I knew once #AmazonCorp announced plans to build a warehouse in #GorhamME, the #GorhamConnector would rear its ugly head again... And even though #JanetMills' brother #PeterMills is no longer in charge of #MDOT doesn't mean the new director won't be pushing this... Instead of a light rail system or rapid bus transit on the existing roads (and / or safer bike lanes. I knew friends who used to bike from Gorham to Portland, but it got too dangerous because of a lack of dedicated bike lanes and speeders).
#MDOT will launch new examination of traffic issues west of Portland
The state study will focus on Gorham, #ScarboroughME, #SouthPortlandME and #WestbrookME.
Robert Lowell, April 22, 2026
Excerpt: "The announcement of the new study comes just days before Amazon goes to the Gorham Planning Board on May 4, seeking approval for a warehouse and distribution center on Main Street (Route 25). Traffic will likely be one issue fueling concerns about the Amazon project.
"The study also comes in the aftermath of plans the Maine Turnpike Authority shelved last year for a four-lane toll road connector to Gorham. The connector was aimed at reducing commuter rush-hour traffic in the routes 22 and 114 commuter corridor [which the #Maine Legislature failed to make go away!]
"A connector would have linked the roundabout at South Street (Route 114) and the southerly end of Gorham’s Bernard Rines Bypass with the turnpike’s Exit 45 in South Portland. The connector proposal was met with a public outcry because it called for cutting a swath through #SmilingHillFarm in #WestbrookME."
Archived version:
https://archive.md/Rh3bH#MainePol #InducedSprawl #Maine #RuralLife #SaveTheFarms #SaveRedBrook #MainersForSmarterTransportation #Maine #MaineNews #GorhamBypass #GorhamSpur #Maine #RapidTransit #SaveTheFarms #ProtectTheForest #InducedDemand #Sprawl #SaveRedBrook #ProtectTheWetlands #BrookTrout #SaveTheForest #Wildlife #HuskyLine #RapidBusTransit
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Oh, and of course, I knew once #AmazonCorp announced plans to build a warehouse in #GorhamME, the #GorhamConnector would rear its ugly head again... And even though #JanetMills' brother #PeterMills is no longer in charge of #MDOT doesn't mean the new director won't be pushing this... Instead of a light rail system or rapid bus transit on the existing roads (and / or safer bike lanes. I knew friends who used to bike from Gorham to Portland, but it got too dangerous because of a lack of dedicated bike lanes and speeders).
#MDOT will launch new examination of traffic issues west of Portland
The state study will focus on Gorham, #ScarboroughME, #SouthPortlandME and #WestbrookME.
Robert Lowell, April 22, 2026
Excerpt: "The announcement of the new study comes just days before Amazon goes to the Gorham Planning Board on May 4, seeking approval for a warehouse and distribution center on Main Street (Route 25). Traffic will likely be one issue fueling concerns about the Amazon project.
"The study also comes in the aftermath of plans the Maine Turnpike Authority shelved last year for a four-lane toll road connector to Gorham. The connector was aimed at reducing commuter rush-hour traffic in the routes 22 and 114 commuter corridor [which the #Maine Legislature failed to make go away!]
"A connector would have linked the roundabout at South Street (Route 114) and the southerly end of Gorham’s Bernard Rines Bypass with the turnpike’s Exit 45 in South Portland. The connector proposal was met with a public outcry because it called for cutting a swath through #SmilingHillFarm in #WestbrookME."
Archived version:
https://archive.md/Rh3bH#MainePol #InducedSprawl #Maine #RuralLife #SaveTheFarms #SaveRedBrook #MainersForSmarterTransportation #Maine #MaineNews #GorhamBypass #GorhamSpur #Maine #RapidTransit #SaveTheFarms #ProtectTheForest #InducedDemand #Sprawl #SaveRedBrook #ProtectTheWetlands #BrookTrout #SaveTheForest #Wildlife #HuskyLine #RapidBusTransit
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Oh, and of course, I knew once #AmazonCorp announced plans to build a warehouse in #GorhamME, the #GorhamConnector would rear its ugly head again... And even though #JanetMills' brother #PeterMills is no longer in charge of #MDOT doesn't mean the new director won't be pushing this... Instead of a light rail system or rapid bus transit on the existing roads (and / or safer bike lanes. I knew friends who used to bike from Gorham to Portland, but it got too dangerous because of a lack of dedicated bike lanes and speeders).
#MDOT will launch new examination of traffic issues west of Portland
The state study will focus on Gorham, #ScarboroughME, #SouthPortlandME and #WestbrookME.
Robert Lowell, April 22, 2026
Excerpt: "The announcement of the new study comes just days before Amazon goes to the Gorham Planning Board on May 4, seeking approval for a warehouse and distribution center on Main Street (Route 25). Traffic will likely be one issue fueling concerns about the Amazon project.
"The study also comes in the aftermath of plans the Maine Turnpike Authority shelved last year for a four-lane toll road connector to Gorham. The connector was aimed at reducing commuter rush-hour traffic in the routes 22 and 114 commuter corridor [which the #Maine Legislature failed to make go away!]
"A connector would have linked the roundabout at South Street (Route 114) and the southerly end of Gorham’s Bernard Rines Bypass with the turnpike’s Exit 45 in South Portland. The connector proposal was met with a public outcry because it called for cutting a swath through #SmilingHillFarm in #WestbrookME."
Archived version:
https://archive.md/Rh3bH#MainePol #InducedSprawl #Maine #RuralLife #SaveTheFarms #SaveRedBrook #MainersForSmarterTransportation #Maine #MaineNews #GorhamBypass #GorhamSpur #Maine #RapidTransit #SaveTheFarms #ProtectTheForest #InducedDemand #Sprawl #SaveRedBrook #ProtectTheWetlands #BrookTrout #SaveTheForest #Wildlife #HuskyLine #RapidBusTransit
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Oh, and of course, I knew once #AmazonCorp announced plans to build a warehouse in #GorhamME, the #GorhamConnector would rear its ugly head again... And even though #JanetMills' brother #PeterMills is no longer in charge of #MDOT doesn't mean the new director won't be pushing this... Instead of a light rail system or rapid bus transit on the existing roads (and / or safer bike lanes. I knew friends who used to bike from Gorham to Portland, but it got too dangerous because of a lack of dedicated bike lanes and speeders).
#MDOT will launch new examination of traffic issues west of Portland
The state study will focus on Gorham, #ScarboroughME, #SouthPortlandME and #WestbrookME.
Robert Lowell, April 22, 2026
Excerpt: "The announcement of the new study comes just days before Amazon goes to the Gorham Planning Board on May 4, seeking approval for a warehouse and distribution center on Main Street (Route 25). Traffic will likely be one issue fueling concerns about the Amazon project.
"The study also comes in the aftermath of plans the Maine Turnpike Authority shelved last year for a four-lane toll road connector to Gorham. The connector was aimed at reducing commuter rush-hour traffic in the routes 22 and 114 commuter corridor [which the #Maine Legislature failed to make go away!]
"A connector would have linked the roundabout at South Street (Route 114) and the southerly end of Gorham’s Bernard Rines Bypass with the turnpike’s Exit 45 in South Portland. The connector proposal was met with a public outcry because it called for cutting a swath through #SmilingHillFarm in #WestbrookME."
Archived version:
https://archive.md/Rh3bH#MainePol #InducedSprawl #Maine #RuralLife #SaveTheFarms #SaveRedBrook #MainersForSmarterTransportation #Maine #MaineNews #GorhamBypass #GorhamSpur #Maine #RapidTransit #SaveTheFarms #ProtectTheForest #InducedDemand #Sprawl #SaveRedBrook #ProtectTheWetlands #BrookTrout #SaveTheForest #Wildlife #HuskyLine #RapidBusTransit
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What's on my mind? Why #SmilingHillFarm! And yeah, I suspect #MTA / #MDOT is going to try and build the #GorhamConnector again, since the bill to kill the connector failed. I heard the new Maine Turnpike Authority director on WMPG earlier today. It sounds like they are going to have MDOT push the connector through -- rather than build #LightRail or a #RapidTransitBusSystem or safer #BikeLanes! smh...
#Maine - Bill to kill Gorham Connector crashes in committee
PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • May 8, 2025
"A bill that would ensure the controversial Gorham Connector proposal is dead was soundly rejected by the Legislature’s transportation committee this week. LD 1020 would repeal 2017 legislation that directed the Maine Turnpike Authority to plan and build a toll highway extension from South Portland, through Scarborough and Westbrook, to Gorham. The bill follows the authority’s announcement in March that it enlisted the Maine Department of Transportation to consider alternative solutions to commuter traffic congestion west of Portland. Neither agency has said the connector proposal has been dropped entirely."
https://www.restore.org/maineenvironews/2025/5/9/bill-to-kill-gorham-connector-crashes-in-committee
#SaveTheFarms #SaveSmilingHillFarm #GorhamConnector #InducedSprawl #SaveRedBrook #Maine #InducedDemand #ProtectTheWetlands #BrookTrout #HuskyLine #RapidBusTransit #MainersForSmarterTransportation
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YES! VICTORY! Public pushback makes a difference!
#MaineTurnpikeAuthority drops controversial #GorhamConnector project
by WGME Staff Thu, March 6th 2025 at 7:56 PM
GORHAM (WGME) – "The Maine Turnpike Authority is now dropping its controversial Gorham connector project.
"The project would have built a new highway from South Portland to Gorham, with the goal of easing heavy road congestion.
"The MTA paused the project last year after receiving backlash from local residents.
"The project would have required the demolition of nearly a dozen homes and confiscation of #farmland."
"'There was a lot of concern, and people wondered if it's the right-sized tool for the job, a lot of people have concerns that, building another highway, there's concerns that it will just fill up,' MTA Director of Communications Erin Courtney said.
The MTA says it's heading back to the drawing board to re-examine traffic conditions and review past mobility studies to find better ways to ease congestion in the area." [Like #LightRail, #RapidTransitBusLines and more #BikeLanes!]
https://wgme.com/news/local/maine-turnpike-authority-drops-controversial-gorham-connector-project-south-portland
#Maine #SaveSmilingHillFarm #SmilingHillFarm #InducedSprawl #GorhamConnector #MainersForSmarterTransportation #Maine #MaineNews #GorhamBypass #GorhamSpur #Maine #RapidTransit #SaveTheFarms #ProtectTheForest #InducedDemand #Sprawl #SaveRedBrook #ProtectTheWetlands #BrookTrout #SaveTheForest #Wildlife #HuskyLine #RapidBusTransit -
#ScarboroughMaine Town Council rescinds support for #GorhamConnector
The 6-1 vote on the resolution follows increasing opposition among town residents to the controversial $331 million, 5-mile highway, which would affect 35 property owners in town.
by Drew Johnson
10/2/2024"The vote was not unexpected; a majority of councilors had voiced support for the resolution at a meeting last month.
"Myles Smith, a member of the #MainersForSmarterTransportation group that organized a rally outside Town Hall Wednesday night, commended the council for taking up the resolution.
"'We’ve heard a lot of people say, ‘There’s nothing we can do about this project,’ ‘It’s a done deal,’ or ‘It’s decided by the state,’ ' Smith said. 'But that’s not true. When people come together and stand up for what they believe in, and our elected leaders listen to their concerns, we can make changes that people want to see in their community.'
"The resolution rescinds the council’s support for the connector, citing the failure of the #MaineTurnpikeAuthority to fulfill the terms of its agreement with Scarborough and three other communities, as well as town residents’ widespread opposition to the project.
"The resolution is not binding on future councils and leaves open the possibility of collaborating with state and regional transportation groups to resolve traffic issues should such efforts garner significant public support.
"The Maine Turnpike Authority, Scarborough, Gorham, South Portland and Westbrook signed an agreement in May 2022 pledging support for the project. While those other communities have not officially considered withdrawing their support, officials in the other municipalities have been watching the Scarborough council’s deliberations closely as public opposition to the project mounts.
"The project, estimated to cost at least $331 million, was proposed by the turnpike authority to alleviate traffic congestion through the Gorham area and has been contentious from the outset.
"The four-lane, 5-mile connector would stretch from Route 114 at the Gorham Bypass into Scarborough with interchanges at County and Running Hill roads before linking up with Interstate 95 at Exit 45 in South Portland. It’s designed to alleviate traffic in other parts of those communities, such as on Route 114 and Route 22, which provide connections to the highway.
"According to a turnpike authority presentation to the Scarborough council in February, about 50 landowners would be impacted by the project via easements, 35 of them in Scarborough. The connector also would weave through #wetlands in the northern portion of town, sparking #environmental concerns.
"The preferred path also is set to cut through a portion of #SmilingHillFarm in #WestbrookMaine, a family-owned farm on 500 acres that has been in the Knight family for 13 generations, which spurred widespread opposition to the project.
"'I’m hoping today that the Town Council members decide to put a pause on this and to talk to the MTA about finding alternate routes or scrapping this project altogether,' Ben Wallace, a 12th-generation farmer at Smiling Hill Farm, said ahead of the vote."
Original article:
https://www.pressherald.com/2024/10/02/scarborough-town-council-votes-to-rescind-support-for-gorham-connector-project/Archived version:
https://archive.md/dkvkB#selection-2485.0-2541.254#Maine #MaineNews #SaveSmilingHillFarm #GorhamBypass #SaveSmilingHill #GorhamSpur
#Maine #RapidTransit #LightRail #SaveTheFarms #ProtectTheForest #InducedDemand #Sprawl #SaveRedBrook #ProtectTheWetlands #BrookTrout -
UPDATE: Scarborough withdrew their support for the Gorham Connector!
So, the word I'm hearing is that so many people showed up at a recent meeting voicing their opposition, the #ScarboroughMaine Town Council has no choice but to withdraw their support.
Scarborough council to vote on withdrawing support for #GorhamConnector
by Aysia Reed, WGME
Wed, October 2nd 2024#Maine #MaineNews #SaveSmilingHillFarm #GorhamBypass #SaveSmilingHill #GorhamSpur
#Maine #RapidTransit #LightRail #SaveTheFarms #ProtectTheForest #InducedDemand #Sprawl -
Workshop in #ScarboroughMaine Wednesday, September 18th
Community group opposing #GorhamConnector discusses alternatives
A coalition run by volunteers, #MainersForSmarterTransportation , held a community forum about the Gorham Connector, with all present opposing it.
"Offering alternatives to the connector, Gorham resident Tina Ruel talked about traveling this summer in Switzerland and France and riding aboard electric trams on tracks and buses. 'Building more roads and widening roads is no longer the answer,' Ruel said in a printed statement to the American Journal."
by Robert Lowell, September 12, 2024
"Opponents of the proposed #MaineTurnpike toll connector to Gorham spoke out last week in a community forum held in Westbrook.
"A grassroots coalition, Mainers for Smarter Transportation, organized the meeting. It has more than 11,000 signatures on a petition to halt the connector, according to its website m4st.org.
"#SmarterTransportation volunteer Myles Smith of Portland said the connector could cost upward of $400 to $500 million and quality of life suffers when new roads are constructed. '#Highways often lead to #sprawl, Smith said."Two ways to solve transportation problems, Paul Drinan, who is a member of Westbrook Recreation and #Conservation Commission, said, are #RapidTransit and active transportation such as #bicycling and #ElectricScooters.
The proposed 4.8-mile connector would link the Bernard Rines Bypass in Gorham to Turnpike Exit 45 in South Portland. It is aimed at easing bumper-to-bumper, rush-hour congestion in the routes 22 and 114 commuter corridor through #GorhamMaine, #ScarboroughMaine and #WestbrookMaine. The connector alignment would cut a 50-acre swath through historic #SmilingHillFarm.
"Retired Gorham tax assessor Mike D’Arcangelo said Maine is a tourist mecca and the state’s beauty needs protection. 'Are we going to put in a forever, four-lane highway?' he said.
"The Scarborough Town Council will discuss the Gorham connector in a workshop scheduled for 5:30 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 18, at the Scarborough Municipal Building, 259 Route 1."
Original article:
https://www.pressherald.com/2024/09/12/community-group-opposing-gorham-connector-discusses-alternatives/Archive:
https://archive.md/CrtWs#InducedDemand #Sprawl #SaveRedBrook #SaveSmilingHillFarm #GorhamConnector #GorhamBypass
#Maine #RapidTransit #LightRail #SaveTheFarms #SaveTheForest #Wildlife #LightRail #HuskyLine #RapidBusTransit #BikeLanes #MainersForSmarterTransportation #MaineTurnpikeAuthority -
Upcoming meeting! Find out about alternatives to the #GorhamConnector in Southern #Maine! #LessCars, #MorePublicTransportation!
Gorham Notes: Aug. 29, 2024
by Robert Lowell"Gorham connector forum
#MainersForSmarterTransportation have a community forum planned from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 5, at the #WestbrookMaine Community Center on the proposed Gorham Connector to the #MaineTurnpike."The #MaineTurnpikeAuthority is proposing a 5-mile, four-lane connector from the roundabout on Gorham’s South Street to Exit 45 in South Portland.
The plan calls for the connector to slice through #SmilingHillFarm and has generated an extensive public outcry. The connector is aimed at easing the heavy commuter traffic in the routes 22 and 114 corridor through #GorhamMaine, #ScarboroughMaine and Westbrook."Original article [may be behind paywall]:
https://www.pressherald.com/2024/08/29/gorham-notes-aug-29/Archive:
https://archive.md/qDpDR#selection-2399.0-2413.250#SaveSmilingHillFarm #GorhamConnector #GorhamBypass #SaveSmilingHill #GorhamSpur
#Maine #RapidTransit #LightRail #SaveTheFarms #ProtectTheForest #InducedDemand #Sprawl #SaveRedBrook -
YES!
Peter Mills stepping down as head of Maine Turnpike Authority
Gov. Janet Mills' brother, who has served as executive director of the quasi-governmental agency since 2011, said his health factored into his decision to not seek reappointment in September.
by Rachel Ohm
June 27, 2024"Mills’ decision comes at a busy time for the turnpike authority, which is working on a controversial proposal for a 5-mile, more than $200 million toll road from South Portland to Gorham known as the #GorhamConnector, among other projects. The agency has faced strong resistance to the project, including from the family-owned #SmilingHillFarm in #GorhamMaine."
#SaveSmilingHillFarm #GorhamConnector #GorhamSpur #GorhamBypass #MTA #Maine #RapidTransit #LightRail #SaveTheFarms #ProtectTheForest #InducedDemand #Sprawl
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Four FREAKING minutes! That's all the time saved by destroying #SmilingHillFarm and the #RedBrook watershed!!! And that was from Maine Turnpike Authority's owm study!!!
Residents continue to voice concern over Gorham Connector highway plan
June 25, 2024
"A traffic study by the MTA says when the new highway opens, the average driver in the surrounding area will save about 4 minutes off their commute."
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/some-mainers-voice-concerns-over-gorham-connector-plan/ar-BB1oT454
#SaveSmilingHillFarm #GorhamConnector #GorhamBypass #SaveSmilingHill #GorhamSpur
#Maine #RapidTransit #LightRail #SaveTheFarms #ProtectTheForest #InducedDemand #Sprawl -
Lena Donat, Mobility & Climate Campaigner bei @greenpeace_de via LinkedIn:
"Verkehrsminister #Wissing möchte seine #Autobahn-Planungen partout nicht nochmal einzeln überprüfen. Jetzt wissen wir, warum!
Mit #TransportAndEnvironment (T&E) und meinem Kollegen Benjamin Gehrs habe ich die letzten Wochen in den Zahlen gewühlt und jetzt haben wir es schwarz auf weiß: Mindestens zwei Drittel der vom Bund geplanten #Autobahnen und #Bundesstraßen sind unwirtschaftlich.
Was haben wir gemacht?
Das #Verkehrsministerium (#BMDV) hat vor 10 Jahren für jedes Bauprojekt ein Nutzen-Kosten-Verhältnis berechnet. Wir haben die gleiche Methodik verwendet (auch wenn wir die eigentlich kritisieren) und einfach die Zahlen etwas aktualisiert.
1) Die Baukosten sind in den letzten Jahren explodiert, das BMDV musste seine Kostenschätzungen für seine Bauprojekte 2023 anpassen das haben wir eingepreist.
2) Der #CO2Preis ist laut @Umweltbundesamt mittlerweile fünfmal so hoch wie noch vor 10 Jahren – wir rechnen also mit 791 Euro statt mit 145 Euro pro Tonne CO2.
3) Die Wissenschaft weiß es schon längst: zusätzliche Straßen erschaffen zusätzlichen Verkehr. Transport&Environment hat kürzlich gezeigt, dass das BMDV diesen induzierten Verkehr um Faktor 9 unterschätzt – und damit auch die daraus resultierenden #CO2Emissionen.Ergebnis: von 1045 Projekten sind 665 Projekte unwirtschaftlich – mit einem Investitionsvolumen von knapp 100 Milliarden Euro. Darunter sind auch umstrittene Autobahn-Großprojekte wie die #A20 an der Nordsee-Küste, die #A39 in Niedersachsen und die #A8 bei München.
Deutschlands #Autobahnnetz ist fertig. Jeder zusätzliche Kilometer bedeutet noch mehr Verkehr, noch mehr #Stau, noch mehr #Klima- und #Naturzerstörung.
Die Studie von #Greenpeace Deutschland und Transport & Environment (T&E) zum Nachlesen: "
https://www.greenpeace.de/publikationen/Nutzen-Kosten-Analyse%20Autobahnen.pdf
Original-Beitrag bei LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/lena-donat-04804630b_verkehrsminister-wissing-m%C3%B6chte-seine-autobahn-planungen-activity-7204386877066358784-MU-N#Verkehrswende #Mobilitätswende #Autokorrektur
#Bundesverkehrswegeplan #BVWP
#Autobahnbau #Straßenbau #Traffication
#induzierterVerkehr #InducedDemand
#Klimaschutz #Klimakrise #Klimakosten
#Artenvielfalt #BiologischeVielfalt #Biodiversität #Biodiversitätskrise #KlimaundBiodiversitätskrise
#UZVR #UFR -
I find it ironic that #GovernorJanetMills has declared June to be "#Maine #Dairy Month," when her brother #PeterMills is trying to destroy one of the last remaining dairies in #SouthernMaine, #SmilingHillFarm!
#GovernorMills Proclaims June as #MaineDairyMonth
May 30, 2024
https://www.maine.gov/governor/mills/news/governor-mills-proclaims-june-maine-dairy-month-2024-05-30
#SaveSmilingHillFarm #GorhamConnector #GorhamBypass #SaveSmilingHill #GorhamSpur
#Maine #RapidTransit #LightRail #SaveTheFarms #ProtectTheForest #InducedDemand #Sprawl -
[Video + gift article] Plan to extend turnpike through #farmland gets slammed before first public meeting
The #MaineTurnpikeAuthority is hosting a public meeting Monday evening on the #GorhamConnector, its plan to build a 5-mile, 4-lane highway spur from the turnpike in #SouthPortlandMaine to the #GorhamBypass.
by Kelly Bouchard
March 25, 2024"Speakers at the press conference said the connector would worsen or simply relocate #TrafficCongestion and exacerbate #pollution and other #environmental problems.
"Warren Knight, one of six siblings involved in the farm, questioned whether the authority chose to build the connector through the farm because it was easier to cross and the cheapest alternative for a project expected to cost well over $200 million.
"'We don’t think that’s right or fair,' Knight said. 'Why should #OpenSpace and farmland be considered expendable?”
"Tuck O’Brien, a Portland resident and representative of Trout Unlimited, a nonprofit that works to preserve and restore fish habitat, said the connector would jeopardize the clean, cool headwaters of #RedBrook, a tributary to Clarks Pond in South Portland that is [one of the last] active habitats for #BrookTrout.
"Sadie Donnell, a #GorhamMaine resident, said the region’s traffic challenges present a 'huge opportunity' to expand public transportation and reduce the number of cars on the road, rather than move them from one road to another."
#SaveSmilingHill #GorhamConnector #GorhamSpur #Maine #MaineTurnpikeAuthority #RapidTransit #LightRail #SaveTheFarms #ProtectTheForest #InducedDemand #Sprawl
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#Maine Voices: Nobody would benefit from the building of the #GorhamConnector
Transit-oriented urban design boosts economies, reduces emissions and provides public space; the only long-term result of the Gorham Connector will be #sprawl.
Posted September 29, 2023
By Jasper Curtis"If the Gorham Connector is constructed and put to use, everyone in the state will lose out in more ways than one.
First, there is the cost, up to $237 million. That’s a lot of money, and it’s on top of the $140 million already being spent on lane widening on Interstate 95. Spoiler alert, none of that money will relieve congestion. In fact, it will likely do the opposite, as proven time and time again in countless U.S. cities. On top of the $340 million total, there is the price of owning a car, which costs the average American $11,000 per year. New car prices are nearing $50,000. None of this is affordable to everyday Mainers. It’s time the state takes these costs seriously, instead of burdening taxpayers with more."Increased road capacity simply leads to more cars on the roads and does not reduce the time spent in traffic. It is a case of #InducedDemand, where wider roads encourage more driving, more vehicles then fill the roads and the public is asked to fund another road- widening project. The cycle repeats itself to extremes, such as the 26-lane #KatyFreeway outside Houston, Texas, which did not solve traffic. St. Louis, Missouri, home to the most highway square mileage per capita in the country, has yet to cease traffic. Here we are again, however, being asked to fork over our tax dollars to an inefficient, ineffective solution to a problem that the state created with poor #UrbanPlanning and shortsighted #infrastructure projects.
"Light #PassengerRail from #WestbrookMaine to #PortlandMaine would cost an estimated $75 million. That’s about $19 million per mile. If a similar cost-per-mile ratio were to be applied to the #GorhamConnector, the project would total $115 million. (Even if the cost-per-mile ratio were double the estimated cost of the Westbrook-to-Portland connection, building rail along the proposed Gorham Connector route would still save $7 million.) From Gorham to Portland, the cost of rail would be almost $30 million cheaper than the Gorham Connector, which reaches only to the Maine Mall in South Portland.
"Rail helps not only commuters and students, but also those who require vehicles for work, because, unlike road widening, public transit reduces the number of vehicles on the road. Driving a work truck on public roads can be infuriating during peak traffic; I know because I have done so. The same goes for driving in an emergency. Rail would help these alleviate these problems; the Gorham Connector would not.
While less quantitative than the previous points, #Maine must still be conscious of its #environmental and social goals. The Maine Department of Transportation (#MDOT) should keep these in mind before it decides its best solution to traffic is to encourage more internal combustion engines. Part of what makes Maine so special to residents is the nature around us. Let’s not wreck it for the sake of one more lane. Maine’s population is the oldest in the nation, and seniors deserve to have safe travel options."Transit-oriented urban design boosts economies, reduces emissions and provides public space. There will be no long-term benefit from the Gorham Connector, only sprawl. It’s that simple. Honest Maine people work hard for their paychecks – they deserve infrastructure that uses their tax dollars with vision and purpose, not another wasteful, #pollution-filled project."
https://www.pressherald.com/2023/09/29/maine-voices-the-gorham-connector-is-a-bad-idea-in-more-ways- than-one
#GorhamSpur #SaveSmilingHillFarm
#SaveTheForest #Woodlands #Meadows #EnvironmentalImpact #GorhamConnector #SaveRedBrook #GreaterPortlandMaine #LightRail #BikeLanes #BusService #MTA #ProtectFarmland #LessCars #WorkingFarms #RapidTransit -
Until #RapidTransit is established, at least the #GorhamPortlandMetro will keep running....
Gorham joins Metro, keeps #HuskyLine public bus stops open
The Town Council votes to become a member of Greater Portland Metro at a cost of $170,000 this year.
Posted March 13 Updated March 13
Robert Lowell"The bus line runs from the USM Gorham campus through Westbrook into Portland to the campus there and to the Old Port area. USM students and staff ride with passes and Gorham passengers paying fares can board at a stop on Main Street in the village, Libby Avenue at Main Street and campus. The public fare is $2 and $1 for the disabled, veterans and riders over age 65. All Husky Line passengers can transfer to other Metro routes."
#GorhamConnector #GorhamSpur #SaveSmilingHillFarm
#Sprawl #SaveTheForest
#Woodlands #Meadows
#InducedDemand #EnvironmentalImpact
#GorhamConnector #SaveRedBrook #GreaterPortlandMaine
#LightRail #BikeLanes #BusService #MTA #ProtectFarmland #LessCars #WorkingFarms -
Rapid transit plan calls for 10-20 minute service through #PortlandMaine, #WestbrookMaine and #GorhamMaine
Maine Public | By Nicole Ogrysko
Published July 28, 2023
"Local officials in #GreaterPortland are considering a system of #RapidTransit bus routes for the region.
"Under a draft proposal from the Greater Portland Council of Governments, dedicated bus lanes would provide express service through Portland, Westbrook and Gorham more quickly than traditional bus service, with stops along the way.
"The preferred route would start at the University of Southern Maine campus in Gorham, travel through downtown Westbrook and stop at the USM campus in Portland before heading down Congress Street and ending near the Eastern Promenade.
"The proposal envisions service every 10 minutes between Portland and Westbrook, and 20 minutes between Westbrook and Gorham.
"'That's frequent enough that you're not relying on a schedule anymore,' said Andrew Clark, transit program manager for #GPCOG. 'You're no longer planning your day around the bus schedule. You just know you can go out to the station, and the bus will be there in 10 minutes or something like that.'
"Clark said service every 10-20 minutes should also lure riders who wouldn't normally consider taking #PublicTransit.
"'I think people understand the role that transit can play in making our cities better, its role in reducing congestion, its role in better climate outcomes, better social equity outcomes,' he said.
"Greater Portland Metro would operate the proposed route, but the vehicles and stops would have a different look than the service's existing buses, Clark added.
"The proposed routes are still a long way away, Clark said. The cities of Portland, Westbrook and Gorham will need to decide how much road space can be freed up for dedicated bus lanes. The project will also need to secure federal funds for the new bus lanes and some new battery-powered vehicles.
"Local officials also eventually envision rapid transit routes to South Portland, Biddeford and Saco, Brunswick and Windham."
#GorhamBypass #SaveSmilingHillFarm #Sprawl
#SaveTheForest #Woodlands
#Meadows #InducedDemand
#EnvironmentalImpact
#GorhamConnector
#SaveRedBrook #RedBrook
#GreaterPortlandMaine
#BusService #MTA
#ProtectFarmland #LessCars #WorkingFarms #PeterMills #JanetMills #CommuterRail #RapidTransit #GreaterPortland #Maine -
There are alternatives to the #GorhamBypass... This is one of them! A much better use for the #Infrastructure funds #Maine received!!!
Gorham-Westbrook-Portland #RapidTransit Study
The Gorham-Westbrook-Portland Rapid Transit Study examined the need for and benefits of a rapid transit line connecting Gorham, Westbrook, and Portland. Based on estimated ridership, travel times, operating costs, and social equity, the study concluded that the most direct and fastest route alignment is via Main Street, Brighton Ave, and Congress Street. From west to east, this alignment connects USM Gorham, Gorham Village, downtown Westbrook, Rock Row, USM Portland, Maine Medical Center, downtown Portland, and the Eastern Waterfront. See project document below:
"The Bigger Picture. The purpose of this project is to provide fast, reliable, and frequent transit service that connects Gorham, Westbrook, and Portland's major transportation and/or activity centers. This project stems from our region's long-range transit plan Transit Tomorrow. That plan identifies five corridors where rapid transit is feasible. The Gorham-Westbrook-Portland corridor is the first corridor we studied. The bigger goal is to create a rapid transit network that allows us to meet the growing demand placed on our transportation network without building new roads or inducing more vehicle travel. "
https://www.gpcog.org/557/Gorham-Westbrook-Portland-Rapid-Transit-
#GorhamBypass #SaveSmilingHillFarm #Sprawl
#SaveTheForest #Woodlands
#Meadows #InducedDemand
#EnvironmentalImpact
#GorhamConnector
#SaveRedBrook #RedBrook
#GreaterPortlandMaine
#LightRail #BikeLanes
#BusService #MTA
#ProtectFarmland #LessCars #WorkingFarms #PeterMills #JanetMills #CommuterRail #RapidTransit #GreaterPortland #Maine -
Have thoughts about the proposed #GorhamBypass? How you can make your voice heard
A public meeting is scheduled for March 25
GORHAM, Maine —"The #MaineTurnpikeAuthority wants to build a new toll road connecting the Turnpike to Gorham. The plan has sparked strong opinions both for and against since the route was announced in February.
"The first public meeting about the Gorham connector is scheduled for March 25 in the Shaw Gym at the Gorham Municipal Center on South Street. An open house is scheduled from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m., where people can look at displays and ask questions about the project. It will be hosted by area municipalities in partnership with the Maine Turnpike Authority and the Maine Department of Transportation.
"At 6 p.m., a brief presentation will provide an overview of the project, after which attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions and make comments. If you cannot attend the meeting, you can watch online starting at 6 p.m."
https://www.youtube.com/embed/aTKSuVJ1iAg?autoplay=1
#SaveSmilingHillFarm #Sprawl #SaveTheForest #Woodlands #Meadows #InducedDemand #EnvironmentalImpact #GorhamConnector #SaveRedBrook #RedBrook #GreaterPortlandMaine #LightRail #BikeLanes #BusService #MTA #ProtectFarmland #LessCars #WorkingFarms #PeterMills #JanetMills
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Opinion: #GorhamConnector plan threatens river #Ecosystem, #HeritageTrout
Building a new road along the banks of #RedBrook will render barren a unique stretch of riparian #shoreline – with all the adverse consequences you might expect.
by C. Ian Stevenson
February 27, 2024"While proponents tout the toll-road Gorham Connector as promising to shorten commutes and relieve traffic pressure in #GreaterPortlandMaine, there has already been substantial pushback to the concept. Regardless of how much (or for how long) travel-based advantage the new roadway might bring, as proposed it will have pronounced, unambiguously negative effects to the area.
"Maine is known for its sense of place. Many components contribute to what makes the state unique and desirable. Among these is the built environment, such as the 13th-generation Smiling Hill Farm in Westbrook, which the proposed route threatens to erode, if not entirely extinguish, as an economically viable vestige of Maine’s once robust agricultural heritage. Others have amply sounded the alarm about this issue.
"But the route introduces other threats to the more naturalistic landscape. Starting at #SmilingHillFarm and running south-southeasterly to I-295 is a five-mile section of Red Brook that mostly nestles in #DenseForest. Between County Road and Running Hill Road, in particular, Red Brook occupies one of the few contiguous #undeveloped #Riverine stretches in #SouthernMaine. While unassuming in scale, Red Brook is nevertheless remarkable for supporting one of the last remaining native populations of #BrookTrout in this part of the state.
"The proposed road will immediately abut the river, sitting nearly on its banks, for as much as a mile south of the County Road Interchange. This will degrade habitat, destroying the trees whose overhanging foliage provides shade and cooling effects for these temperature-sensitive fish and creates shelter from predators. It will make barren riparian shoreline that supports the aquatic and terrestrial insects that provide the primary trout food sources. The road itself will also contribute oil, salt and other #runoff to the river, #polluting the water. As a result of these factors, this connector will likely #exterminate this population of brook trout.
"Why should we care about a small river and its brook trout? Although this is not the official state fish, the fishing community widely considers it the prize species to catch, with so-called wild populations assuming even more cherished status. Brook trout provide a link across generations and cultural traditions and belong to everyone. Human inhabitants of Maine – from the original #Wabanaki to European colonists to modern Americans – have been catching these 'native' fish for millennia. Other parts of Maine, especially further north and west, have healthy native brook trout fisheries, making Maine highly regarded nationally as a destination to catch them.
"The fact that Red Brook, in the heart of #GreaterPortland, belongs to this orbit is no small feat. Most of the area’s waterways have already succumbed to habitat loss, development, predatory introduced species, warming temperatures and increased flooding due to #ClimateChange. Red Brook provides an opportunity for future #Mainers who might not have access to brook trout streams further afield to enjoy this natural amenity. Even if you do not care about fishing, this road promises to annihilate a population of one of our state’s heritage species, as well as its scenic habitat that also contributes to #Maine’s sense of place.
"#PeterMills, the executive director of the #MaineTurnpikeAuthority, claims his organization has 'gone to great lengths to minimize impacts to Red Brook,' but clearly it hasn’t gone far enough under the current proposal. There are yet solutions.
"Citizens can express concerns at a hearing planned for March or via the Maine Turnpike Authority’s online portal. If the connector is to be built, planners need to re-route to establish a buffer zone between the connector and river – even a few hundred feet would have a positive impact. While less ideal than a complete reworking of the route, this would at least retain the primary shoreline flora and fauna and allow for run-off infrastructure. And we could re-route the road to save Smiling Hill Farm at the same time. Or better yet, we could re-consider the whole project’s merit entirely."
MTA website (make your opinion known!):
https://www.maineturnpike.com/Projects/Planning/Gorham-Connector.aspx#WorkingFarms #Sprawl
#GorhamSpur #InducedDemand #GorhamConnector
#Wetlands #Meadows
#EnvironmentalImpact #Extinction #Ecosystem
#SaveSmilingHillFarm
#SaveTheWoods #SaveTheFarms #Maine #Wetlands #Woods #LessCars #MoreLightRail -
Some folks a lot older than myself are planning on #DirectAction to protect #SmilingHillFarm! One woman said she would chain herself to the bulldozers. I'll be right there with them!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHeYiD2rnsg
#SaveSmilingHillFarm #GorhamConnector #Sprawl #LessCars #MoreLightRail #BikeLanes #BusService #MaineTurnpikeAuthority #ProtectFarmland #SaveTheForest #Maine #WorkingFarms
#MaineTurnpikeAuthority
#InducedDemand
#GorhamSpur
#GorhamConnector
#Wetlands
#Meadows
#EnvironmentalImpact -
Editorial: Pump the brakes on Maine Turnpike spur
April 18, 2022
via #RestoreTheNorthWoods"#Maine is barreling down the road on a more than $200 million infrastructure investment that even its own backers agree is not enough to fix the current problem and could make things worse in the future. It’s the proposed #Gorham-#Westbrook connector, a five-mile toll road being developed by the #MaineTurnpikeAuthority. New roads lead to more driving. It’s called '#InducedDemand.' Traffic congestion in Westbrook, #Scarborough, #Standish and #Gorham is not just a highway problem. Though these towns are some of the fastest-growing in Maine, public transit is not viable because the population is so spread out. Without allowing for denser development and offering a real transit alternative, building a faster road from Gorham to Portland could simply drive the development further west. Until we know where we’re going, this project should slow down."
https://www.restore.org/maineenvironews/2022/4/18/editorial-pump-the-brakes-on-maine-turnpike-spur
#Development #Sprawl #MaineTurnpikeAuthority #GorhamSpur #LessCars #MoreLightRail #GorhamConnector #Maine
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#NorthCarolina could be #wasting millions on #widening #roads without #fixing #traffic - Axios Charlotte
According to the idea of #inducedDemand, if you widen a #road to relieve #trafficJams, #driving becomes easier for #people. But the new #lanes will become #congested again in a matter of time, #experts warn.