Neighborhood Byway meeting tonight

Tonight, the City of Portland will host its first informational meeting about a proposed "Neighborhood Byway" network in Deering Center. Neighborhood byways would be streets prioritized for walking and cycling, with low traffic speeds and fewer cars.

The first routes being proposed (see map above) would connect various off-peninsula neighborhoods, business districts, and schools, from Sagamore Village in the west to Deering High School and Woodfords Corner in the east.

The City has some funding in hand to install signage and traffic-calming measures along this pilot route. A neighborhood working group will convene over this spring to decide where that money should be prioritized.

If successful, the concept could be expanded throughout the rest of the city, from North Deering to the Portland peninsula and perhaps even to Westbrook and South Portland. As city construction projects go, this one is cheap, so it could be a great way to expand the city's bike and pedestrian friendliness in budget-constrained times.

If you'd like to learn more or express your support for projects like this one, come to tonight's Deering Center Neighborhood Association meeting at 6 pm at the Hall School, off Warwick Street.