The Boothbay-Boothbay Harbor Community School District Trustees started talking about improvements to the crosswalk between the school and YMCA in November 2014. As the school year nears completion, they are increasing their efforts to have the project completed before the start of the 2015-2016 school year.

Maintenance Supervisor Dave Benner has been speaking with Boothbay Harbor Police Chief Bob Hasch, who made contact with Duane Brunell, a representative of the Maine Bureau of Highway Safety, to seek grant funding for the project.

Benner has also spoken with Andy Hamblett, executive director of the Boothbay Region YMCA, about the project, as it would benefit both the school and the Y.

“We are absolutely committed to this project,” Hamblett said. “It is such a valuable thing and we'll find the resources to make it happen.”

Current tentative plans include raising the height of the crosswalk signs, and adding flashing lights around them that would be activated by a button (an example of these lights are those that decrease the speed limit on Route 1 coming into Bath).

The trustees also want to add reflectors on the sidewalk, preferably through LED lights embedded in the pavement or at least using simple reflective tape. They would also add additional signs approximately 500 feet before the crosswalk that would read “Crosswalk Ahead” to warn motorists, especially those approaching from the north, as the crosswalk is somewhat hidden from view from that direction until a vehicle gets close.

The total approximate cost for these improvements (not including any embedded LED lights) would be between $5,200 and $6,000, according to Benner.

“It's a very important project,” Superintendent Eileen King said at the most recent CSD Trustees meeting April 1. “Right now that crosswalk is an accident waiting to happen, and I want this done by the opening of school in the fall.”

The trustees talked somewhat about placement of the buttons to light up the signs. While there is plenty of space on either side, they were concerned about placement on the Y's side, for when the Route 27 sidewalk project moves forward.

Hamblett said the Y would make sure the button placement wouldn’t require moving it in the future due to the sidewalk project.

Related:

CSD trustees work to increase safety at the school/Y crosswalk

Crosswalk safety