Fowler/Old Ocean House/Rt. 77 intersection

Driving along Rt. 77 from the south into the town center of Cape Elizabeth, the legal speed limit is reduced from 50 mph to 35 mph. Yet there is little in the road design that indicates to our unconscious vehicle-driving minds that we are coming off a veritable highway* and into a town center.

The 35 mph speed limit is too high for a vibrant town center. The fact that some vehicles are entering that space at even higher speeds is a concern, especially given the fact that that the town center stretch of Rt. 77 has had the most crashes of any in Cape Elizabeth (per Greater Portland Council of Governments).

Kevin Justh, a Cape Elizabeth resident, states, "[The high speed along 77 between Scott Dyer and Fowler] is one of the top 5 reasons our town center is the mostly lifeless place it is and has been despite 30 years of everyone saying they want it to be a real, vibrant town center."

Another Cape Elizabeth citizen recently stated their vision for the intersection of Rt. 77/Fowler/Old Ocean House: A rotary. That got us thinking about other possible ways of making this intersection significantly safer for pedestrians and bikers.

Looking south along Rt. 77, at the intersection with Old Ocean House Rd. and Fowler Rd.

Adding paint at an intersection has been proven to help slow traffic and make streets safer for pedestrians.

https://usa.streetsblog.org/2022/04/22/study-asphalt-art-decreases-vulnerable-road-user-crashes-by-50-percent

Cities Paint Their Way to Safer Streets

Another alternative could be "bulb-outs"/curb extensions or a landscaped island that would visually indicate to drivers that they are entering a slower zone. This could provide a sort of "gateway" feeling. The bicycle access that is there currently (essentially the "car break-down lanes") would need to stay steady; the motor vehicle lanes could be narrowed on the stretch from Fowler to Shore Rd.

Accommodations for pedestrians and bikers can and should be included in such changes.

This intersection is calling out for a shift away from motor vehicle prioritization and back to safe access to the municipal buildings and businesses, for people on foot and on bike.

Rt. 77 is a state road, so there would be "roadblocks" to implementing even a trial urban tactic such as paint. However, there is no question that more needs to be done to provide safer access to our town's streets for people who are not in cars.

*"veritable highway": That 50 mph zone is very straight and very wide, perfect conditions for highway-like speed.