Saco Rolls Out Safe Streets Program

The City of Saco has introduced a comprehensive traffic safety program intended to encourage safer driving, walking and bicycling. The need is apparently there: as stated on the city’s website, during the ten-year period from 2013 to 2023, “Saco experienced 45 pedestrian collisions and 72 bicycle involved collisions, according to Maine DOT’s Crash Query Tool.”

The Safe Streets program, which can be found on the city’s website, recognizes that the responsible operation of motor vehicles is a primary driver behind these numbers.

“This ongoing public information campaign intends to keep traffic safety a key topic of discussion within our community through City publications, such as social media, newsletters, and local media coverage,” said Emily Roy, Director of Communications and Human Resources for the city. “For long-term goals, we hope to foster a well-informed community that works together to ensure all travelers and users of the roadway reach their destinations safely.”

In the most recent information posted on the Maine Department of Transportation website, York County ranked second in terms of the number of motor vehicle incidents involving pedestrians on public highways, with 199 from 2018-2022, second only to the 409 incidents reported in Cumberland County. 

The Safe Streets initiative goes on to identify three primary ways that drivers can operate more safely:

• Pay attention: Avoid distractions and focus on your surroundings. Watch for pedestrians and cyclists, as well as other motorists.
• Exercise caution: Drive slowly, especially through residential and dense areas. Always follow the speed limit. Allow at least a three-foot gap when passing cyclists.
• Follow signage: Stop at stop signs, yield to pedestrians in crosswalks, follow traffic signals, use caution in work zones, and follow roadway markings.

Three groups are identified as having direct responsibility for making streets safer in Saco: the Traffic Safety Committee, the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee, and the City Council. The groups’ mission is to communicate and educate, said Roy.

“By connecting with the community about promoting safer driving habits, and providing education tailored for pedestrians and cyclists as well, we aim to make a positive impact beyond investing in infrastructure enhancements alone,” she stated in an e-mail to sacobaynews.com.

While reaching out to motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists in order to improve public safety on streets and roads may be a worthy goal, others will wait to be convinced.

“I’m all in for education,” said Patrick Conlon, a Biddeford resident who started up Bike BS (Biddeford-Saco), a non-profit that advocates for increased bicycle and pedestrian use and infrastructure improvements. “But if not forced through physical changes to the design of our streets, drivers’ behavior is likely to go unchanged.”

The decision to move forward with the Safe Streets program echoes recommendations regarding improvements to the city’s pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure found in Saco’s 2022-34 Comprehensive Plan.

The Plan lists a number of improvements that it deems desirable, such as “Better biking connections to and through downtown; easier connections to the Eastern Trail, and making it safer to bike downtown from other parts of Saco.” Also targeted are improving walkability around oft-visited locations such as grocery stores, schools, transit nodes, health centers, senior centers, and destinations like parks and beaches, as well as build a safe bike path from Main Street to Camp Ellis.

Roy noted that the city is working with an area engineering firm on the city's first-ever Transportation Master Plan.

“This plan will address how we use roads across the city and inform future infrastructure improvements, with input gathered from over 300 community members so far,” she said. “Completing this plan will provide a guiding document for Saco's future transportation network.”

Chris Nucci, a co-chairman of the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee, supports the city’s efforts to encourage safer driving.

“I think the website was a good move from the city even though I’m not sure how much traffic it will receive,” said Nucci, who started a compost pick-up by bicycle program for residential properties in Saco. “I do believe there are a lot of things that have been implemented around the city that people may either, 1) not notice or, 2) not understand, so having a website that presents them all is a good move.”

A request for comment by Saco Mayor Jodi MacPhail was not responded to prior to deadline. Members of the public can view the city’s efforts on the Safe Streets campaign at sacomaine.org/safestreets.

Bob Hamblen can be reached at rhh0918@gmail.com