Southport Selectmen

Southport speed survey hits bump in the road

Wed, 10/18/2017 - 8:15am

Southport resident Nancy Prisk asked selectmen Oct. 11 about the status of the speed survey requested for a section of Route 238 on Southport.

The speed survey would be done to allow Boothbay resident Mike Wallace, who is in the process of purchasing land on this section of Route 238, the ability put a road into the land. Currently, according to the Maine Department of Transportation, he does not have enough road frontage to do it.

The selectmen have also said a survey would be a good idea, as they believe the current speed limit of 45 mph is too dangerous for that road, with hills and blind areas near driveways that are already in place.

Selectman Gerry Gamage said the board had received a response to their letter from MDOT. The agency stated stated it did a survey in May and found no reason to adjust the speed limit in that area; the survey was signed with “no change recommended” on June 6.

“I’m sorely tempted to write back and tell them what I think about all this baloney,” Gamage said.  “I question if this was really done. I will remind them that they have jurisdiction but we take care of our own people here on Southport,”

Gamage further asked why the town received this letter from MDOT on Sept. 29, if the survey was finalized in the beginning of June. He stated the only reason he hadn’t yet written back was that he was “cooling my heels so I didn’t write something I’d be regretful for.”

Prisk thanked the selectmen for their efforts on the issue. “It’s not just a Mike (Wallace) thing,” Prisk said. “There are a lot of people behind this who want to see the speed lowered.”

The selectmen meet every Wednesday at 5 p.m. at the Southport Town Hall.