During an open house meeting at Windham Town Hall on June 18, Windham residents and business owners were able to review plans for a $31.25 million road project that aims to alleviate traffic congestion along the Route 302 corridor in town.
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| Windham residents and business owners got to review Maine Department of Transportation's plans for connector roads and a center median for Route 302 in Windham during an open house presentation at Windham Town Hall on Wednesday, June 18. COURTESY PHOTO |
Martin said this open house was a courtesy to update Windham residents as to where the projects currently stand. He said the intent is to reduce congestion and improve safety for motorists, citing a high rate of accidents on Route 302. In addition, the project will make improvements to Routes 35 and 115 and will construct about 11,700 feet of new multi-use pathway.
“Some other key project features include repaving existing roads and adding new roads, adding and upgrading sidewalks on Route 302, installing new curbs in some areas and roadway alignments to be modified,” Martin said.
According to a MDOT factsheet distributed during the open house meeting, most of the $31.25 million project’s cost will be paid for through a U.S. Department of Transportation Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity or RAISE grant. Along with a $25 million federal grant, the state of Maine and the town of Windham will each pay half of the remaining $6.25 million.
MDOT first partnered with Windham in 2019 to study Route 302 improvement and held a preliminary public hearing about the proposed project in June 2024. A final preliminary design report is scheduled to be completed in August and then a final public hearing will be held about it in February 2026 with plans and a cost estimate for the project to be completed by June 2027.
Construction is set to begin in October 2027, and the estimated completion date is June 2030, Martin said.
“Route 302 was never designed to serve as both a local street dotted with businesses and a through-route for travelers heading to Sebago Lake and other western destinations,” Martin said. “Routes 35 and 115 are facing similar challenges. Traffic has increased in recent years while transportation efficiency and safety have suffered. The construction of the numerous safety elements on this project is expected to reduce vehicle crashes by 21 percent. The numerous required and desired safety improvements to be implemented throughout the project area will aid in reducing crashes and injuries in a commercial area that has grown rapidly around outdated safety features, or no safety features at all.”
Route 302 improvements called for in the plans consist of building 1.7 miles of new sidewalks where sidewalks are not present today; rebuilding existing sidewalks that are not American Disability Act (ADA) compliant; installing raised median islands from Boody’s Corner at the Route 35 and Route 115 intersection northerly to the Franklin Drive Intersection; installing raised median islands from Boody’s Corner southerly about 625 feet as well as modifying traffic signals and vehicular movements.
About .33 miles of Route 35 from the intersection of Manchester Drive to the Intersection of Route 302 at Boody’s Corner will be rehabilitated and the pavement surface will be milled off and repaved. For Route 115 about .46 miles from the new intersection at the East Side Connector Road to the intersection of Route 302 at Boody’s Corner will be rehabilitated and the pavement surface will be milled off and repaved.
An east connector road will be built at the Eastern terminal of Franklin Drive and extending southerly about .67 miles to Route 115. This includes intersection connections with Veterans Memorial Drive and Sandbar Road. The connector road intersection of Route 115 will be signalized with appropriate turning lanes. On Franklin Drive about .30 miles will be rehabilitated, and the pavement surface will be milled off and repaved.
A west connector road of 1.01 miles will be built at the northerly terminal of Manchester Drive and extending northerly some .55 miles to Whites Bridge Road. This work includes creating intersection connections with Landing Road, Amato Drive and Trails End Road. The new connection with Whites Bridge Road will not have a signal but will have appropriate turn lanes.
The existing intersection of Manchester Drive and Route 35 will receive improvements, including a new traffic signal. This existing segment of Manchester Drive will be rehabilitated, and the pavement surface will be milled off and repaved. A middle connector road of .14 miles will be built beginning at the Franklin Drive and Route 302 intersection and extending southwesterly to Landing Road some 755 feet.
Not everyone attending the open house supported every aspect of the project.
Bob Hynick, the Operating Partner for KFC/Taco Bell at 755 Roosevelt Trail in Windham says he’s hoping MDOT’s plans can be altered or modified and that MDOT and the Town of Windham will listen to the concerns of local business owners that a center median and bypass roads will be detrimental to their operations by reducing customer access and limiting left-hand turns into and out of their establishments.
“As an Operating Partner for the KFC/Taco Bell in Windham, I appreciate the investments being made in Windham’s infrastructure but have serious concerns about the proposed installation of a center median divider on Roosevelt Trail that will reduce vehicle access to our restaurant and several neighboring businesses,” Hynick said.
The KFC/Taco Bell location has been part of the Windham community for decades and employs 20 people, he said.
“Eliminating left turns into and out of the property could significantly restrict customers’ access to us and impact our ability to operate,” Hynick said. “We hope to be part of this community for decades more and ask that Windham reconsider this portion of the project to see the impact planned bypasses will have on traffic flow and explore alternative solutions that won’t harm local businesses like ours.”
Kyron Hobdy and Cyndi Ambriz of Windham live off White’s Bridge Road and say improvements there will be helpful.
“I like it,” Hobdy said. “During the summer it will mean easier access for us.”
Ambriz said when the project is finished it will take some adjusting to get used to it.
“Around Walmart you’d have to go down and around and that will take some getting used to,” she said. “In the long run it’s going to be better.
Use the QR Code below to see detailed plans for the project. <
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