Local Dad Still Hoping for a Crosswalk
Bar Harbor Safety Plan Expected to Be Ready in December
BAR HARBOR—Two Bar Harbor fathers stood before the Bar Harbor Town Council last week with a plea for safety upgrades at the intersection of Holland Avenue and Mt Desert Street.
“Every few years, I come up and I kindly request that the town put a crosswalk on Holland Avenue where it meets Mount Desert Street,” Peter Hastings said.
He’s requested the crosswalk, he said, about three times over the past six years.
This time the request is occurring at the same time that the town is creating a Safety Action Plan, specifically meant to help “provide Bar Harbor with a holistic, well-defined strategy to prevent roadway fatalities and serious injuries.” It’s part of a federal U.S. Department of Transportation Safe Streets for All $200,000 grant awarded in 2022.
Hastings said since he asked for a crosswalk two years ago, there’s been one child hit by a car and two bicycles hit.
“We have about 75 kids that walk that street to get to Conners Emerson,” he said.
He asked that the crosswalk be put at the end of Holland Ave.
“It was my child that got hit by a car,” Tom St.Germain stepped up to the microphone and told the council members. “That particular intersection can use a crosswalk.”
He said that when the accident happened, the driver was upset as well. During that accident, a large vehicle prevented St.Germain’s son from seeing a smaller vehicle behind it, and therefore, the boy cut across the road when he shouldn't have.
Removable speed bumps in addition to crosswalks have been suggested. The bumps could be pulled up at the end of October for the plows.
According to Public Works Director Bethany Leavitt, the town can paint crosswalks in roads that it is in charge of. However, crosswalks on state roads (such as Mount Desert) need to be approved by the state.
For every 100,000 people, Hancock County sees 18 vehicular-related deaths. Between 2016 and 2020 there were 49 fatal accidents in Hancock County. Those are overall accidents, not just pedestrian and vehicle or bicycle and vehicle.
According to former Police Chief Jim Willis, between 2020 and 2023, there were 11 car and pedestrian incidents in Bar Harbor. Eight resulted in minor injuries, one was fatal, and two resulted in no injury. Of those, two involved car and bicycles.
Five occurred on Main Street. Four occurred on Mt. Desert Street.
Staff Planner Hailey Bondy said in an email, “Based on our feedback from the Safety Action Plan, it was clear that there is a need for crosswalks at various places along Mt. Desert St. including the intersections with Ledgelawn, School St, and Holland. We are still working on identifying the highest-need improvement areas in town and will be able to speak in more detail once we have some additional data analysis information in February.”
Concerns about children crossing roads along the corridor from Conners Emerson School on the Eagle Lake Road through to the Jesup Memorial Library and the YMCA and ball fields on Park Street have often been mentioned at the Conners Emerson School Committee meetings.
An interactive map and survey put out by Bondy gave residents and visitors an opportunity to point out needs for motorists, pedestrians, scooter-users, and bicyclists. Bondy also led multiple public information sessions this fall.
“We truly appreciate the great feedback, stories, and insight the community provided this past September and October. The feedback we received is being analyzed along with MaineDOT roadway data and information from our data collection in August to help us identify a list of highest priority locations (based on safety concern, including past injuries or fatalities),” Bondy said. “Our consultant, Stantec has been doing some great work to put this information into a report, which will be completed in February.”
After the town has identified priority locations, staff will begin to formulate a list of alternative designs for various locations.
“This could include adding crosswalks, paint, pilot programs such as but not limited to trial one-ways in specific areas, or complete intersection re-designs. We will be having additional public engagement events this spring to hear input on these issues,” Bondy said. “We anticipate completing the Safety Action Plan in December of this year.”
The Bar Harbor Story is generously sponsored by Acadia Brochures of Maine.
LINKS TO LEARN MORE
To visit the town’s Safe Streets for All page
Link to the (now closed) survey to share your experience on the roadways in Bar Harbor. link here
GIS Map where individuals shared specific locations and intersections around town. link here
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The town should just paint the crosswalks on My. Desert St. and let the state complain. And yes, I'm sure there may be liability issues, but the state is too slow responding so the town should just do it. Ask for forgiveness rather than permission.