Crashy bike lane proposal in Scarborough

[Christian MilNeil]

A little beyond our borders, but wanted to flag this for everyone's awareness (and also in case anyone on this list lives in Scarborough or OOB).

Scarborough is planning a repaving/drainage project on East Grand Avenue, the main street connecting Pine Point to Old Orchard Beach, with a proposed 2-way cycletrack that would go on the east (ocean) side of the street. There's an existing sidewalk and utility poles on the west (inland) side that would be rehabbed. See a slide deck from a recent presentation on the project here.

While I think this is a nice gesture towards improving conditions for bikes, some of the details make me pretty concerned about the risks this design creates. 

• There are *a lot* of side streets and driveways that would cut across this bike path. My understanding is that 2-way roadside cycletracks are not considered a best practice for streets with lots of driveway crossings: drivers making right turns out onto Grand Avenue are unlikely to look to their right for oncoming bikes, and bike riders in both directions are going to be in the blind spots of cars turning right or left off of Grand Avenue.
• This would be a very narrow bike path – 8 feet with a 2 foot cobble paver buffer next to a 10' drive lane. NACTO recommends that two-way on-street cycletracks should be at least 12 feet wide with a minimum 3' buffer from cars. 
• This is a relatively low-speed street with a 25 mph speed limit, but that narrow path puts bikes in close proximity with oncoming traffic, without any meaningful physical separation between the bikeway and motorized traffic. Someone riding a bike at 10 mph who hits a 25 mph car head-on is likely to suffer serious injuries from a 35 mph speed differential. 

This project is applying for funding through PACTS at their September RTAC meeting, which could be a chance for folks to weigh in on this idea. 

Christian MilNeil
- - - - - - - - - - - - -

[Aaron L. Rosenblum]

The use of cobbles on either side of the bike lane seems like a particularly terrible idea. They can be difficult to navigate on a bicycle (especially with narrow tires, and for novices), double so in winter, but are just as easy to cross as pavement for a car (though they could kind of act as a rumble strip...I guess). 

Same goes for the re-cobbled shoulders on Baxter here in Portland, though at least they didn't use them for a buffer. 

Aaron 

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Portland Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to PBPAC+un...@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/PBPAC/CAFPp_UynUSMNY%3DppRjnOqxvFQmu-gDpzsWdx3cmCS1sXgSsCvQ%40mail.gmail.com.

[John Brooking]

Maybe the BCM or the new Maine State Bike/Ped Committee would know some of the local advocates.

John Brooking

Cyclist, Cycling Educator, Technologist

https://www.facebook.com/CyclingSavvy4ME/, http://cyclingsavvy.org

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/PBPAC/CAAxgO%3DzmbSCUut3vV0XBqJqFGSNi3-opmz6xk97hV913LiwKEQ%40mail.gmail.com.

[Winston Lumpkins]

I've Cc'd some folks, and the Statewide bikeped google group, as they might know more.  

If proper level driveway aprons (like the ones which are used for sidewalks, and should be used for multi-use trails in Portland) are used, and raised crossings at un-signalized intersections, I think it might be ok to use this kind of bike lane with a lot of driveways.  Not sure if that's the plan though, and I would be concerned about this design without those details.  Cars need to be forced to slow down a lot, while turning through a facility like this. 

Christian's width point, and Aaron's point about the cobble buffers is very fair though.  Esp. with e-bikes, which mean some people will want to pass others more than ever, I really do think width matters.  Given that it's a 25mph street, I wonder if traditional bike lanes with corner islands or something might not be better... 

I've heard some rumors that GPCOG (Greater Portland Council of Governments) is working on a complete streets manual for the region; I wonder if it will include guidance for bike lanes and separated facilities- such a tool might help determine what will safely fit into a Right of Way...  

~Winston 

Winston Lumpkins IV (he/him/his)

Past Chair, Portland Bicycle & Pedestrian Advisory Committee
https://www.portlandbikeped.org/

winston....@gmail.com
207-408-1508

• 
  

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/PBPAC/CAJg%3D2oxFUKVpDXk-oOCLNqnz%2Bu2atNj7sd1ZxhPvwQtiYAdA_g%40mail.gmail.com.

[Andrew Zarro]

Hi All,

Hope you are well. I responded directly to Christian's initial email as to not burden you all with a large email thread, but thought I would jump in now to let you know BCM has already reached out to Scarborough with concerns specific to option E, citing NACTO and the FHWA Separated Bike Lane Planning and Design Guide. We outlined both concerns and opportunities for improvement. I also gave a heads up to PACTS staff in advance of the upcoming recommendations for funding. Please reach out directly if you are interested in learning more! I have connected with a couple of BCM community spokes in the Scarborough area, but if you are local to the area I would love to connect. 

Best,

Andrew

On Mon, Sep 1, 2025 at 7:47 PM Patrick Conlon <paddy...@gmail.com> wrote:

Well this is interesting for sure. I've ridden here a lot and I prefer the Old Orchard Beach section with the bike lanes on both sides. 

Presently the entire stretch of this road from Pine Point Rd. to the Old Orchard Beach town line has parking on the inland side.

When you cross the town line into OOB the entire right of way narrows a little, there is no more on street parking spaces and

the shoulders are marked as being for bikes only, with signs but no on road bike lane symbols. The signs are placed frequently

enough that I think drivers get the message but bike symbols painted in the shoulders would help even more.

Two examples of their signs are attached below.

So at the town line what will happen? Cyclists traveling southbound in the two way cycle track in Scarborough will have to cross

over two lanes of traffic to the inland side of the road to continue using a bike lane. I see in the slide deck on pages 12 and 13

that they are proposing to add crossings at the north end by Pine Point Rd. intersection and at the townline but why make something

so completely different from what the adjacent municipality already has. Seems like this design is mainly to preserve street

parking spaces. All of the commercial businesses along that stretch have off street parking spaces so I guess the parking is

mainly for beach goers. Parking explains the world.

Also at the townline there is a painted unsignalized crosswalk which is to facilitate pedestrians crossing from the inland sidewalk

in Scarborough to the ocean side sidewalk in OOB. Further south in OOB they start to introduce sidewalks on the inland side

but it's inconsistent until you get down to about Morrison St.

The design of the two way cycle track and the use of the coble stones is certainly questionable for all the reasons that everyone

has already mentioned here. To me the transition from one bike facility design to a completely different one raises questions

of safety, cooperation and communication between municipalities. 

If this is the design they move forward with I'd like to see the townline area equipped with a much more seriously safe combined

crossing for both cyclists and pedestrians. Raised crossings as Winston mentioned would help and the townline multi use crossing

should probably include push button controlled flashing beacons.

Patrick Conlon

Bike BS

You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Maine Statewide Bike Ped" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to mainebikeped...@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mainebikeped/CABaJc7wus21TNqnMuqUZZRECKWq6eNgEcj8sxcYq2qEthDx99A%40mail.gmail.com.
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Maine Statewide Bike Ped" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to mainebikeped...@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mainebikeped/CAAnjZR%2BFB%3DTM7D9PgahiH1FLpx%3DjcwVq1y-%3DXkwhrcJG3nZjiA%40mail.gmail.com.
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.

--

Andrew Zarro, Executive Director

bikemaine.org | 207.623.4511 | LinkedIn

Support better walking and biking in Maine, donate today!


REGISTER FOR THE MAINE WOODS RAMBLER HERE

REGISTER FOR THE LOBSTER ROLL HERE