State and High Street Two-Way Conversion Study — Portland, ME
Date: 2014-09-08

State and High Streets Two-Way Conversion Study

 Public Meeting #1
 State of Maine Room, Portland City Hall
 September 8th, 2014

After a review of the project process, scope, goals, and existing condition data by Tom Errico of
T.Y. Lin International and Carol Morris of Morris Communications the floor was opened to the
public for questions and comments.

She began with making the point that everyone in the room is likely to have opinions on this
topic before coming into the process, and asked in spite of that, that the public keep an open
mind during the process. She said that the public involvement component includes three
meetings of the Public Advisory Committee and Community Advisors and two public meetings.
A purpose and need statement has been drafted and she asked for comments on this, along
with a list of potential benefits and challenges that had been created by the Advisory
Committees.

Tom then explained that the consulting team will undertake a collection of data to establish
existing conditions in the study area. This effort is already well underway and some of the
findings would be presented that evening. Forecasts would be created to model traffic for the
larger area for both two-way and one-way possible scenarios. A limited set of alternative
possibilities within those two would be created. The results would then be analyzed and
recommendations arrived at through the public process. At the conclusion, a final report will
be generated.

Tom noted that seven intersections and eight road segments met or exceeded MaineDOT
qualifications for high crash locations. The team had not yet fully examined the types of crashes
involved but he noted that some of the segments were primarily parking and sideswipe related.
He also noted that these numbers included all types of crashes for all modes and that the team
would be breaking them down into more detail in the future. He then reviewed existing and
currently planned bicycle infrastructure and transit service in the region.

The consulting team has established baseline travel times (AM and PM peaks) for traveling
between I-295 and York St. on both State and High Streets. This work also included snapshot
speeds that traffic was traveling on certain segments. Traffic counts were conducted at 20
major intersections along the corridor. These counts included vehicular traffic, heavy truck
traffic, and bicycle traffic making all turning movements at each intersection. Pedestrian
crossing movements were also counted. Peaks were noted at 8AM and 5PM with the PM peak
being the highest. High Street carried more traffic than State at all times of day.

The meeting was then opened up to questions and comments.
A resident of Peaks Island who works in town spoke about how they did not see making State
and High two-way as conversion but instead a restoration back to the original form. He noted
that the existing conditions data had seemed very car centric and that he did not feel that
traffic flow should be a top priority. He described a friend that has lived on High Street since
before the switch to one-way traffic and the change they had observed as it changed from a
residential local street to a “highway”. The one-way streets were seen as a perceived barrier, if
not an actual one, to pedestrian traffic moving across the peninsula. The streets were cited as a
break in the urban form and the commenter asked that the study take into account some of the
more qualitative quality of life aspects of the change.

Tom responded that there were pedestrian use measures involved and that qualitative aspects
was part of the Purpose and Needs Statement and would be considered even if it did not have a
numeric base like the data being presented that day.

A resident and cyclist noted that part of the long-term plan for the area had been for the Fore
River Parkway to take some of the traffic from downtown streets like State and High. They
asked if the study would be considering them.

Tom replied that it would. A traffic modeling covering all the surrounding streets was being
constructed to look at diversion effects and would definitely include the Fore River Parkway.

A resident of Westbrook who works at Sacred Heart noted a concern about winter snow
removal. Currently State in particular can get very narrow in the winter and the effects of that
for a two-way street could possibly be more disruptive. They also noted a concern about lost
parking.

Tom answered that snow removal was a concern that they were working with city staff to
address. He noted that there may be a minimal loss of parking due to turn pockets but how
much as of yet was not known. The end product would include a specific number of spots lost
or gained.

A Portland-based architect who has long been concerned with pedestrian issues in the city
noted that studies have shown that if people can park once and walk to their various
destinations it lowers demand for parking overall. They also felt that a two-way conversion
could open the way to removing the street segments cutting into the north east corner of
Deering Oaks Park, which would be a desirable outcome. He noted that by offering more
routing options it could actually decrease traffic on any given road and lower congestion.
A resident of York Street near State Street spoke to the fact that they were uncertain why a
change was being looked at. They were not against it, just not sure what the end goals were. It
is a big project and shouldn’t be done without a good reason.

Carol Morris pointed out that the Purpose and Needs Statement, as well as lists of potential
benefits and challenges brought up by the public advisory committee, outlined the perceived
reasons or benefit that people perceive could come from a conversion. It is posted for the
public comment session and she invited the resident to review them at that time.

A member of the public noted that as far as they were concerned the slower traffic is, the
better.

A resident of Park Street pointed out that the average speeds presented were measured at the
AM and PM peak times, when traffic volumes are the highest. They agreed with the numbers
presented but noted that in the off hours, when traffic volumes are lower, people take
advantage of this and drive faster. They also commented on the rudeness of drivers toward
pedestrians on the two streets. They wanted to see the walkability of the area improved to the
level that one sees elsewhere on the peninsula.

Tom replied that he was looking at additional speed data now and hoped to have a better idea
of off peak speeds in the future.

A South Portland resident who frequently travels to USM in Portland noted that he currently
has a 10-12 minute drive and worried about it becoming closer to 30 minutes but understood it
was a hard balance. He noted that this is a common discussion in cities across the county and
wanted to see some case studies of areas that converted one-way roads to two-way roads.

Tom noted that the Public Advisory Committee had also asked for examples and that the
consulting team was currently working on compiling some.

A Sherman Street resident offered their perspective as a pedestrian, saying that they also felt
that non-peak speeds were significantly higher than the average peak speeds shown.

A resident of Deering Street agreed and also reinforced the view that there was an antagonistic
attitude between some drivers and pedestrians on the two streets. They wondered if there
was any data on what streets people avoided crossing due to safety issues.

Tom responded that they had data on where people did cross and were trying to dig into some
of the origin, destination aspects of pedestrian trips but did not have data specifically on areas
that people chose to avoid.

A 35-year resident of Deering Street confirmed that T.Y. Lin had been involved in the Casco Bay
Bridge and the Veteran’s Bridge projects. She noted that the bridges were an important aspect
of traffic flow in the area. She then expressed the view that the project should be about
returning the residential feel to State and High, which are primarily lined with residential
buildings. The high traffic levels on these roads make residents of the area feel isolated.
Returning to the traffic flow issue, she felt that better signage directing drivers to the Fore River
Parkway would be a good start.

A resident of Portland near the Westbrook line who uses these streets to get to destinations
complimented the team on the data collection efforts. They felt that State and High were two
of the few streets in downtown Portland that “worked” to get people from place to another.
They didn’t mind slowing traffic some to make them safer but didn’t want it to get harder to
move around.

A resident of Cumberland Street near High Street returned to the issue of hostile drivers on the
road, corroborating earlier stories of verbal abuse and difficulties crossing the streets. She
noted that she remembered traffic flowing well, possibly even better, in the 70’s before the
change to one-way streets. The the additional options resulted in people taking diverse routes
to get to their destinations, spreading out traffic and lowering overall congestion.

A resident of Munjoy Hill who works in the AAA building wondered if there was an alternative
to changing the roads to two way that would allow for better accommodation of all modes in
the current one-way format.

Carol responded that the study would also be looking at how to improve the corridor without a
change to two-way traffic. The area needs improvement and update whether it changes to two
way roads or not and this study is to see if in undertaking those upgrades it is warranted to
make the change to two way, or not.

A cyclist asked if the study was taking into account bike and pedestrian levels of service.

Tom replied that those measures were being collect and considered.

A member of the public asked if the model would take into account mode shifts due to
improved conditions, noting that they might walk or bike more if the roads were more friendly
too it.

Tom answered that they are using existing census data on commuting modes to help them
understand how people get around but are not sure if they will be able to have a good enough
handle on it to predict future mode shares.

A resident at Cumberland and State Streets spoke about how there were a lot of kids in the
area that walk to school and are outside in the afternoons, a trend she sees increasing. She
wants to see improved walking conditions for that population. Also, she added to the voices
saying that off peak speeds were higher and that she felt that evening and night truck traffic
were the worst offenders. She also asked if there was any data on who was using the streets
and what their destinations were.

Tom responded that a license plate origin and destination study was done in 2007 that showed
about 1/3 of traffic on the road was entering and one end and exiting at the other end with the
other 2/3 having destinations on the peninsula.

A resident of Sherman Street who is an active walker and biker noted that State in particular
was a very beautiful street but the traffic and noise made it unpleasant to walk on. They also
noted that a recently installed curb bump out at Grant Street did not, in their experience,
improve safety in any way.

Tom pointed out that getting two lanes of one-way traffic to stop for a pedestrian is an
inherently difficult thing as the first lane may stop but then the second lane has limited visibility
to see a crossing pedestrian.

A resident of Deering Street spoke about their strong concerns for changes to the traffic
pattern. They felt that two-way traffic would be harder and less safe for pedestrians. They did
agree that visibility was a big issue for pedestrians trying to cross the street but again felt that
this would be even worse in a two-way traffic scenario.

A resident of Park Street between State and High who has lived there since the late 60’s spoke
to the need for increased pedestrian safety, at least at intersections. She noted that they also
drove on the streets and felt that while slowing traffic was good, the street still needs to
function as a way to get places. They felt that there was significant pedestrian demand for a
way to get between downtown and the Deering Oaks/Oakdale neighborhoods and so
pedestrian improvements were definitely needed but again they couldn’t be stopping traffic all
of the time.

A resident of Salem Street asked where the ultimate decision would lie, with the city or with
MaineDOT.

Carol responded that MaineDOT does have significant input and that they will require the
corridor to remain an important vehicular connection. She said the ultimate decision is a joint
one between the city and MaineDOT. MaineDOT is on the public advisory committee and will
inform the process.

A resident of State Street asked if the team would consider a two-way scenario with limited left
turns. They also asked if the team was considering the impacts of Mercy Hospital moving its
operations from their State Street location.

Tom replied that they were open to limited left turn options if the model showed that they
were needed and feasible but that they don’t know at this time. As for the Mercy relocation,
the team is working to make their best guesses for future land use on the corridor in order for
the model to be as accurate as possible.

A Portland resident felt that corridor travel time was more important than speeds and asked if
the team would be looking into the causes, times of day and other aspects of the crashes that
have occurred in the corridor.

Tom agreed that travel time was just as important as vehicle speeds and noted that the team
would be delving into the crash data in as much detail as was available to them to determine
the contributors to each crash.
A resident of the Oakdale neighborhood noted he went through the area frequently and very
much wanted to see the road segments cutting through Deering Oaks Park removed. He
admitted that his primary use for State Street when driving was to cross the peninsula and get
to the bridge but noted that if that route became less efficient or another route improved they
would be happy to go a different way. They also noted that they would like to see improved
bus service.

A resident of High Street between Pleasant and Deering Streets talked about how he saw a lot
of crashes on the road. He felt that people without cars were occupying a lot of the new
residential units in the area. He asked if it would be possible to test a new traffic arrangement
or if any data existed from the period of time that High Street was closed for a week due to
façade issues at the State Theater Building.

Tom replied that the complete closing of the street due to State Theater work probably
wouldn’t be an accurate data point even if they did have data from it. He then explained that a
test of a two-way scenario would likely be out of the question as there would need to be new
signals installed and some intersections would have to be rebuilt completely to be brought up
to the standards of a two-way road. He noted that such tests are very good when they can be
done, but here it is tough.

A member of the public asked if the modeling would be able to speak to changes in the
vibrancy and quality of life along the corridor.

Tom answered that as qualitative measures they would likely not be part of the model but they
were a big part of what the study was looking at and would certainly be part of the results.

A resident of Cumberland at High Street noted that a lot of drivers do not stop for pedestrians
in the crosswalk despite state law requiring them to do so. They felt that center bollards that
remind drivers of the law could be useful on the two streets.

A resident of Portland near the Casco Bay Bridge noted that the one-way streets result in York
Street between State and High being its only two-block highway. They felt it was very
dangerous and cited cars and bikes coming off the bridge driving too fast and running the light.

A Portland resident wondered why it was such a through-corridor given that there are other
routes from South Portland to the Highway, such as Broadway. They also suggested that the
city could work with the Westin Hotel to develop traffic demand management plans to try and
ease the issues they have around check out/in times. They felt that there could be creative
solutions to the problems at hand and that they should be explored.

At this point the formal portion of the meeting ended and the public was asked to review the
boards around the room and comment on what they saw.
Below are the results of the written comments. In general, there were a higher number of votes
on the benefits as opposed to on the challenges.

 Advisory Committee: Perceived Benefits
 In Making State and High Streets Two-Way

Placed in order of priority with the number of votes for each at the end of the Benefit.

 1. Return streets to their historic residential use and feel 12
 2. Diversion of traffic to routes better equipped to handle it (Fore River Parkway) 10
 3. Potential to reconnect (or better connect) the portion of Deering Oaks north of State
 Street back to the rest of the park. 8
 4. Improved safety for all modes 7
 5. Potential to lower vehicular traffic volumes by improving pedestrian experience 6
 6. Making Congress Square more pedestrian-friendly 5
 7. Potential to improve non-vehicular access to Deering Oaks and the Casco Bay Bridge 5
 8. Improved crosswalk safety (crossing pedestrians will be visible from both lanes of traffic)
 5
 9. Slower traffic speeds 4
 10. ADDED AT PUBLIC WORKSHOP: Benefits to property values/tax base 3
 11. Increasing access to the view corridors up and down the roads (such as allowing traffic
 to approach the front of the Art Museum) 2
 12. Increased potential for improved transit service 2
 13. Improved wayfinding/opportunity to better direct traffic 2
 14. Less circling traffic/more direct routes 2
 15. Improved connectivity/increased routing options 1
 16. Improved perception of the roads as safe places 1
 17. Improved access to businesses and services
 18. Shortened trip distances 0
 19. More intuitive (eliminate the problem of unfamiliar drivers turning on to the streets in
 the wrong direction) 0
 20. Potential for uphill bike climbing lanes (It was noted that: This is a mixed blessing.
 Current one-way configuration makes it easier for cyclists to justify controlling a travel
 lane for safety (visibility, vantage, discourage sideswipe, avoid doors) because there is a
 passing lane. Bike lanes at the edges are not quite as safe generally although uphill only
 would not be too bad – not down!)

 Advisory Committee: Perceived Challenges
 In Making State and High Streets Two-Way

Placed in order of priority with the number of votes for each at the end of the Benefit.

  ADDED AT PUBLIC WORKSHOP: DOT Resistance to Rerouting Rte. 77 - 8

  Possible increased congestion in other areas 3

  Two-way traffic could take more space, particularly when accommodating all modes 3

  Midblock left turns would become an impediment to traffic 3

  Resistance of current users 3

  Two-way traffic could take more space, particularly when accommodating all modes 3

  Reduced parking 2

  Diversion traffic to neighborhoods 2

  The Westin Hotel main entrance is on High Street; patrons loading and unloading cars
 often block traffic, manageable with two lanes going the same direction but a challenge
 in a two way road 2

  Trucks at State Theater forced to block traffic while backing into the loading area; this is
 easier with one-way traffic 2

  Back up from the drawbridge could be more of an issue without two lanes to stack
 traffic 1

  Certain times have high demand for parking (for example church services) 1

  Potential for more complicated snow removal 1

  Increase in points where traffic modes come into conflict 3

  Potential for head-on crashes 2
 Potential increase in travel time between the highway and the South Portland side of
 the bridge 0
 PURPOSE AND NEED STATEMENT
 State and High Streets
 Two-Way Conversion Study


The purpose of the State and High Streets Two-Way Conversion Study is to study
the effects of re-introducing two-way traffic flow on State and High Streets. The
study will evaluate whether changes in transportation infrastructure will support
the existing mix of land uses and neighborhoods in the study area. Both streets
need to serve automobiles, trucks, transit, pedestrians, and cyclists equitably, as
well as serve both those who are traveling within the City as well as through the
City.

From a safety and health perspective, new infrastructure should be designed to
accommodate pedestrian and cyclist safety and increase livability. From an urban
design perspective, changes should provide a positive experience, and actively
connect historic neighborhoods. Changes should also serve the transportation
needs of those living off the peninsula by creating convenient access to city
amenities and work places. Changes should be compatible and coordinate with
other related City planning projects, including the redesign of Congress Square.

Comments made a public workshop via sticky note:

“What are the problems that we are trying to solve? Whom do we need to
accommodate? Then find the best solution to do that rather than starting with the
two-way solution.”

“Look at the wording! The first focus is on vehicles. Language counts. People first!!”

“The traffic should be guided (signs) to Fore River. Especially all trucks not having
business on the peninsula.”

“Returning a quiet residential feel to these streets should be the goal. The residents
of the peninsula drive the economic success of Downtown – they (pedestrians) need
safe, pleasant access to Congress Street and businesses. Peninsula should be a
pleasant and desirable place to live.”

“Given the uphill and downhill grades and the challenges that intersections pose to “edge”
bicycle facilities, would not recommend bike lanes on downhill portions. If two-way, perhaps
bike lanes for uphill portions and centered Shared Lane markers downhill. Edge facilities pose
vantage issues.”