IN THE CITY
by James P. Francomano
Here is a brief update on our department’s progress in the Community Development arena this year. The Planning and Development Department succeeded in bringing in a Community Development Block Grant award (CDBG) for Downtown Revitalization, in the amount of $250,000.
All told, with matching funds from the Presque Isle Development Fund and other sources, the full project value is $396,000. The city of Presque Isle came in second place behind Waterville, and is the only other community in the state to receive an award this year under the CDBG Downtown Revitalization program.
Because of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 and expanded funds committed to the CDBG program, Maine could take on a second community in the Downtown Revitalization category this year. While we don’t necessarily see our community’s role as chasing after these funds just because they are there, we do feel it is necessary and appropriate to pursue programs and funding sources that line up well with the city’s economic and community development goals and priorities.
The 2009 CDBG Downtown Revitalization award funds will be used to construct and install a variety of public infrastructural improvements to aid parking and pedestrian circulation downtown, with the goal of making it not only safer for pedestrians and shoppers, but more attractive and convenient as well. After a competitive procedure and Request for Qualifications a proposal submitted by the Caribou branch of J.W. Sewall Co. was selected to provide project engineering. That office will be putting the construction phase of the work out to bid in late fall or early winter with the work on the ground to commence in early spring of 2010.
The planned CDBG pedestrian improvements will build on the highly successful project already implemented by MDOT this year to install new traffic signals and new pedestrian countdown timers at crosswalks. As was already covered in a Star-Herald staff article, motor vehicle circulation and pedestrian circulation are both benefiting from these improvements. Pedestrians will have a little longer to get across the street and drivers who maintain a safe speed, will have fewer stops to make through town because the signals are now timed to work together.
Please consider attending the next meeting of the Presque Isle Downtown Revitalization Committee (PIDRC) to learn more about the planned CDBG pedestrian improvements. If you have any questions or comments in the meantime, please let us know. The PIDRC will hear a progress report by the project Engineer and Landscape Architect, with public comment welcome as always: Thursday, Aug. 27 at 8 a.m. at Presque Isle City Council Chambers, 12 Second Street, 3rd Floor.
James P. Francomano is a city planner with the Presque Isle Planning and Development Office. He can be reached at 764-2504 or via e-mail at jfrancomano@presqueisleme.us.
