Lower Road Use Advisory Council

The Lower Road Rail Use Advisory Council was officially formed in November of 2022 by MaineDOT Commissioner Bruce Van Note as a result of L.D. 1133, An Act To Amend the Transportation Laws. The Bill, passed by the State Legislature in 2021, established guidelines for the review of nonrail recreational or nonrecreational transportation use of state-owned inactive rail corridors by Rail Corridor Use Advisory Councils. Advisory Councils will review and make recommendations on the likelihood, economic benefits and costs of potential uses of the rail corridor, including, but not limited to, rail use, trail use or bikeways. Any non-rail use of a rail corridor must be considered by a council to be interim in nature, and all such rail corridors must be preserved for future rail use.

The Lower Road Rail Use Advisory Council will review the approximately 34-mile section of the State-owned rail corridor known as the Lower Road from Rockland Junction in Brunswick (immediately east of the Federal Street at-grade crossing) to the east side of the railroad bridge over the Kennebec River in Augusta. Watch the full rail ride here.

Reports

• Majority Report (PDF)
• Minority Report (PDF)

Supporting Documents

• Lower Road Rail Corridor Study (PDF)
• Appendix A1 - Rail Cost estimate summary sheets (PDF)
• Appendix A2 - Trail Cost estimate summary sheets (PDF)
• Appendix B - Lower Road Lower Road Rail Corridor Demographic and Economic Analysis
• Appendix C - Trail count estimate (PDF)
• Appendix D - Lower Road Track Chart (PDF)
• Appendix E Public Comments Summary (PDF)
• Appendix E Public Comments Summary Table (PDF)
• Appendix F - Lower Road History (PDF)
• Public comments - August 2023 (PDF)
• Public comments - December 2022 (PDF)
• Public comments - January 2023 (PDF)
• Public comments – February 2023 (PDF)
• Public comments - March 2023 (PDF)
• Public comments - April 2023 (PDF)
• Public comments - May 2023 (PDF)
• Public comments - June 2023 (PDF)
• Public comments - July 2023 (PDF)
• Rail Corridor Use Advisory Council Request (PDF)
• Adopted Trail Support Resolution (PDF)
• MaineDOT Response to Questions from Jeremy Cluchey (PDF)

Current Members

• Mathew Eddy, Chair, Executive Director, Midcoast Council of Governments
• Douglas S. Beck, Outdoor Recreation Supervisor, DACF, Bureau of Parks & Lands
• Carolann Ouellette, Director, Maine Office of Outdoor Recreation
• Tony Cameron, CEO of Maine Tourism Association
• Richard Rudolph, Director, Maine Rail Group
• Jeremy Cluchey, Chair, Merrymeeting Trail Board of Supervisors
• Matt Nixon, Topsham Selectboard member
• Nicole Briand, Bowdoinham Town Manager
• Laurisa A. Loon, Richmond Town Manager
• Gay Grant, Gardiner Resident
• Keith Luke, Augusta Economic Development Director
• Tom Farrell, Brunswick Director of Parks and Recreation
• Doug Ebert, Chairman Farmingdale Board of Selectmen
• Gary Lamb, Hallowell City Manager

Minutes and Agendas

Thank you for your feedback. This process has been completed. Please review the information from previous meetings below.

2023

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August 23rd 

• Agenda (PDF)
• Minutes (PDF)

July 26th 

• Agenda (PDF)
• Meeting Minutes (PDF)

June 28th 

• Agenda (PDF)
• Meeting Minutes (PDF)

June 22nd 

• MaineDOT Presentation (PPTX)
• VHB Presentation (PDF)
• Meeting Minutes (PDF)
• Watch the meeting

May 31st 

• Agenda (PDF)
• Meeting Minutes (PDF)

April 26th 

• Agenda (PDF)
• Meeting Minutes (PDF)
• Economic Analysis Presentation (PDF)
• MRG Presentation (PDF)

March 29th 

• Agenda (PDF)
• Meeting Minutes (PDF)
• Active Transportation Plan (PDF)
• Rail Plan Presentation (PDF)
   

February 22nd 

• Agenda (PDF)
• Meeting Minutes (PDF)
• Cost Estimate Presentation (PDF)
• Propensity Study Presentation (PDF)
   

 

January 25th

• Agenda (PDF)
• Meeting Notes (PDF)
• Presentation (PDF)

2022

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November 30th

• Minutes (PDF)
• MaineDOT Presentation (PDF)
• VHB Presentation (PDF)