Portland North Small Starts Alternatives Analysis
Stakeholder Coordination Meetings
May 27 & 28, 2008 
Agenda
•	Introductions
•	Background
•	Purpose and Need 
•	Evaluation Criteria
•	Transportation Systems Management Alternative
•	Discussion

Existing Highway Network
•	I-95 to Gray, New Gloucester, Auburn, and Lewiston

•	I-295 to Yarmouth, Freeport, and Brunswick

•	Maine DOT Park-n-Ride Lots  support carpooling
Existing Transit Services
•	Limited transit options for commuters north of Portland
–	Metro (hourly)
–	citylink (1/2 hour - peak)
–	Go Maine (peak)

•	Intercity buses do not operate on commuter schedules
–	Concord Trailways
–	Vermont Transit

•	Amtrak�fs Downeaster service between Portland and Boston

Ridesharing
•	Approximately 22 formal Park-and-Rides in study corridor
–	15 directly on I-95/I-295
•	Connections with Portland
–	Metro (Falmouth Flyer)
–	Go Maine

Population and Employment
•	Approximately 300,000 people in 125,000 households in the study area.

•	48% of population concentrated in Portland, Lewiston, Auburn, and Brunswick.

•	18% population growth and 19% employment growth projected for 2025.
Commuting to Portland
•	30,000 in study area commute to Portland

•	High concentrations of commuters from Freeport, Yarmouth, Cumberland and Gray

•	79% – 85 % commute via auto alone

•	13% carpool 
2006 Jobs by Portland TAZ 
Non-Commute Trips
•	Commute trips concentrated in peak period, but account for only 20% of regional travel

•	High quality transit would also serve:
–	Shopping trips to Freeport
–	Business trips to Portland, other commercial  centers
–	Students attending USM or other colleges
–	Medical appointments at MMC or other area hospitals
–	Connections to Boston via Downeaster
Study Area Highway Volumes
Portland Peak Travel Times  
Brunswick Rail Corridor
2025 Households and Employment within 1-mile of Brunswick Line Stations 
Brunswick Line Commuting Potential
Lewiston/Auburn Rail Corridor 
2025 Households and Employment within 1-mile of L/A Line Stations 
Auburn Line Commuting Potential
Comparison of Brunswick and Lewiston/Auburn Rail Corridors

•	Brunswick and Auburn commuters to Portland are  similar:  
–	3,229 versus 3,119

•	Brunswick line offers more potential for inter community commutes:
–	7,047 versus  5,097
–	2,281 jobs in Freeport

•	Auburn line offers more potential employment in 2025:
–	89,267 versus 81,090

Purpose and Need
•	Reduce Highway Congestion

•	Increase Mobility Options

•	Integrate Transportation with Land Use policy

•	Promote Community and Economic Development through Transportation Investment
•	Continue to Improve Safety within the Corridor
•	Improve the Environment

Alternatives Overview (Rail)
•	 Auburn
•	 SL&A
 
•	 Brunswick
•	 Pan Am
•	 SL&A 

Alternatives Overview (Bus)
Alternatives Overview (TSM)
•	 Seeks to identify improvements to enhance the capacity of existing system   
–	 Better management and operation of existing transportation facilities
–	 Enhance system accessibility and safety
–	 Lower cost alternative 
Preliminary Evaluation Criteria
•	Right-of-way
–	Availability
•	Operations
–	Conflicts with existing users
–	Adequate operating windows
–	Safety
•	Connectivity
–	Rail
–	Highway
–	Bus
–	Park and Ride 
–	Marine

Preliminary Evaluation Criteria (cont.)

•	Mobility
–	 Ridership
–	 Travel Times
•	Costs
–	 Overall
–	 New Structures
–	 Right-of-way
–	 Infrastructure (roadway, track)
–	 O&M

Preliminary Evaluation Criteria (cont.)
•	 Land Use
–	 Secondary Development
–	 Transit Oriented Development
–	 Transit Supportive Policies
•	Demographics
–	Populations served (Environmental Justice) 
•	Economic Development
–	Support for urban revitalization
–	Service to tourist destinations

Preliminary Evaluation Criteria (cont.)
•	 Environmental
–	 Wetlands/permitting
–	 Waterways
–	 Traffic
–	 Air Quality Emissions
–	 Noise 
 
Next Steps
•	Finalize Purpose and Need
•	Finalize Evaluation Criteria 
•	Finalize Baseline Alternative
•	Finalize Bus Alternative
•	Screen Alternatives

Discussion