Maine: Presque Isle Freight and Mobility Priority Corridor

Trucks are a Pain for this Main Street in Maine

Challenge: Imagine huge tractor trailers lumbering down the main thoroughfare of your community, and you’ll have a good idea what the people of Presque Isle, in northern Maine, have been coping with for years. When large trucks travel down Main Street, they pass 147 commercial or residential driveways, 25 street intersections, 12 crosswalks, nine stoplights, and one railroad crossing. They’re not just annoying. They are a safety hazard for downtown visitors and pollute the community as they idle at intersections.

The Solution: With help from the federal infrastructure investment law, the Presque Isle Freight and Mobility Priority Corridor Project provides a new route for vehicles to travel around the city instead of through it. It includes construction of a 6.3-mile, two-lane road that will connect U.S. Route 1 south of the city to the current bypass section already in service. With a new interchange and overpasses, the roadway will improve freight movement as well. For residents of Presque Isle – a safer, cleaner Main Street is just ahead.

What They’re Saying: “We hope to see a decrease in the truck traffic in the downtown. We did a look at the study that examined a serious percentage of truck traffic no longer coming through downtown. I believe it was around 20 – 25 percent.” – Presque Isle City Manager Martin Puckett (WAGM 8, 07/19/2019)