The West End News - February 2020 - Vol. 20 No. 02

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FEBRUARY 2020.VOL. 20, NO. 02. PORTLAND, MAINE.

PORTLAND’S COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER. FREE!

Parking Garage Discontent Maine Medical Center’s new employee parking garage on Saint John Street leads to the loss of on-street parking and other concerns By Cameron Autry The construction of Maine Medical Center’s new employee parking garage on 190 Saint John Street is raising concerns from members of the St. John Valley neighborhood. Namely, a loss of on-street resident parking, excessive nighttime lighting, and the blockage of water views and afternoon sun have fueled tensions between the hospital and the neighborhood.

ry Committee. As required by the Portland Planning Board, this group formed in 2017 for hospital representatives and nearby residents to discuss the impact of the hospital’s expansion on the adjoining neighborhoods. District 2 City Councilor Spencer Thibodeau also attends these meetings, which take place monthly.

CITY RESPONDS

As a result of outcry from the surrounding neighborhoods, the Department of Planning and Urban Development approved a new traffic pattern to restore four of the original thirteen lost parking spaces. Then, following further grievances that returning only four parking spaces did not go far enough, the Department redesigned the intersection once again to regain a total of nine on-street parking The decision to remove the on-street spaces. parking stirred immediate backlash from But for Prosser, who is not a member the neighborhood, as several houses were of the Neighborhood Advisory Commitleft without any parking at all within a reatee, the left turn only lane is entirely unsonable distance from the buildings. necessary, and he says that congestion has not been an issue since the garage opened. ‘MM HURTS NEIGHBORS’ The Portland Planning Board approved the project in December 2018, despite voiced concerns from the community. The plan allowed for the removal of thirteen on-street parking spaces along the intersection of D Street and Saint John Street, in order to accommodate anticipated increased traffic flow from the new parking garage.

Alan Prosser, a landlord and business owner on Saint John Street, noted that houses on the street affected by the loss of parking are primarily rental properties housing working-class families.

“Our hope is that the left turning lane will prove to be unnecessary and that the original traffic pattern will be retained,” said Prosser. “They literally took away the parking to make a dedicated lane for that left turn.”

Signs with the slogan “MM Hurts Neighbors” hang across the street from Maine Medical Center's new employee parking garage displaying neighbors' discontent. -Photos by Tony Zeli The route proposed by Bray would direct hospital shuttles leaving the garage to turn left onto Saint John Street instead of right - thereby eliminating need for the left turn lane at the intersection with D Street. This is the route the shuttles presently take, and if this continues, the left turn only lane – which required the removal of on-street parking – will serve no purpose to the hospital.

HOSPITAL RESPONDS Mathew Wickenheiser, spokesman for Maine Med, confirmed that the hospital is still adjusting the route that the shuttles will take, and issued the following statement: “The City modified the Planning Board-approved traffic plan to retain several on-street parking spaces on St. John Street. MMC is currently installing traffic lights at the entrance to the garage, and believes that when they begin operating, they will assist with traffic flow.”

rooftop and stairwell of the parking garage has ruffled a few feathers – promptly becoming another matter of contention within the Neighborhood Advisory Committee. “It lights up the neighborhood and shines right into the second and third floor windows – much brighter than daylight,” said Prosser. “In regard to the garage lights,” said Wickenheiser, “we have heard the neighbors’ concerns and have begun moving lights in the stairwell to help mitigate the impact on the area while maintaining a safe environment for our employees.” Further, he expects modifications to the lighting to be completed by late February.

Prosser stated that the issue with the nighttime lighting seems to be resolved for the moment, but he did express one last concern about the garage: the blockage of waterfront views and the afternoon Speaking to the bigger picture, Wick- sunlight. enheiser also maintained that hospital “Our apartments have had water expansion is necessary to accommodate views and sunsets, which are pleasing with increasing patient demand. Regarding how sun coming in the window,” said Prosser. this would affect the neighborhood, he “And now at 2:30 in the afternoon, it’s said, “I think it’s always a balance. We have dark and cold. And that definitely is a difto have an open dialogue.” ference from how we have come to ap-

“So if you can imagine not being able In fact, Prosser hired a traffic engineer to park even near your house in the winto study the intersection and determine ter with groceries and kids,” said Prosser. whether the turn lane would be neces“It poses a considerable hardship to those sary. The engineer, Bill Bray, has worked in folks.” traffic engineering and public works since Prosser, an active member in the 1969, including a seven-year stint as the community, gained attention for putting Director of Public Works in Portland. up a sign with the slogan “MM Hurts Bray stated in a written summation of BRIGHT LIGHTS & Neighbors” in front of his Volvo restohis study that “a more desirable and logi- BLOCKED VIEWS ration shop on 195 Saint John Street. cal travel route would be St. John St. onto But a loss of parking is not the only The loss of parking quickly became ‘A’ Street to Valley Street to Congress a topic of contention among members Street. This travel route is the most direct contention neighbors have with the hospital. Excessive nighttime lighting from the of Maine Med’s Neighborhood Adviso- to the hospital campus.”

preciate and enjoy it here.”

Cameron Autry is a freelance writer and the host of The Southern Maine Report podcast.

Page 3… City offers overdose recognition and response training Page 6… Community events and a Valentine's Dance Party Page 8… One Longfellow Square ditches the water bottles Page 16… Five tips to prep your house to sell in the spring Page 18… Our astrologer Leo attempts to predict the election Page 20… Crossword, Sudoku, trivia & more fun Page 21… McAuley Residence has big news about expanding to Bangor

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New column, 'Layne's Wine Gig' does Valentine's, Pg.10

Yogathon for Sea Change Yoga. Learn more on Pg. 15


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