We had 80 responses to our community survey! Thanks so much to everyone who took the time to respond. Some key themes included the following:
- Libby Hill, Mayberry Rd around Crystal Lake, Rte 26, and the cemetery were identified as some of the best places to walk/jog, bike.
- Many respondents also identified the Interurban behind the Gray Plaza to Long Hill Road as a favorite place to walk/bike/jog. This is significant because of the planned development of that corridor as part of the Maine Narrow Gauge Railway Museum.
- Respondents identified poor road shoulders, lack of bike lanes, poor lighting, lack of signage, no sidewalks, and too many cars/cars driving too fast as major reasons for not doing more walking/biking in Gray.
- Most (88.3%) of those who walk or jog in Gray, and 62% of those who bike do so for health-related reasons, at least in part.
- A little over half (53.8%) of respondents jog or walk at least several times a week, if not daily.
- Priority projects (averaging 3.5 points or more out of 5) included:
- Additional paths in the village area
- Extension of the sidewalk along Libby Hill Road to the Middlel School
- Bike lanes on major roads
- Established routes, or “neighborhood byways”
- Improved signage to warn motorists to watch for walkers/bikers
- More crosswalks/improved road crossings
- Expanding and strengthening linkages between existing trail networks
Other suggested projects included a light at Dry Mills, sidewalks between the High School and Crystal Lake, and a better defined crosswalk between Gray Plaza and the new Dollar Store.
The Greater Portland Council of Governments has been helping with the maps, and with developing the first draft of the report. We hope to bring the draft to the general public in February, and present it to the Council in the early spring.
If you have any other suggestions for us, please call me at 657-4935 or email me at gcemaine@gmail.com.
Bike- Ped Plan Update