Bath residents weigh traffic safety and access ideas at DOT meeting
A June 25 DOT session put Washington Street crossings, downtown parking and Riverwalk access back on the table as Bath looks toward future state funding.
At Bath Parks & Recreation, Donald Small School, on June 25, a preliminary Maine Department of Transportation meeting put safer crossings, better mobility and easier access to more parts of town on the table for Bath. The session at 4 Sheridan Road was also streamed on BCTV and Facebook Live, giving residents and businesses an early chance to point to the street, sidewalk and parking problems they want fixed first.
The meeting was not a final design reveal. It was an early public input step. Bath’s Planning & Development Department leads citywide plans, reports and studies that guide growth and long-term vision. The city’s 2023 Comprehensive Plan ties that vision to growth, housing, transportation, the environment and community life.
The Bicycle, Pedestrian, and Transportation Committee advises the city on safety, accessibility and connectivity for all modes of travel. Its work page has a Master Transportation Plan, project timeline, public meetings and key updates. The city’s 2020 Pedestrian Safety Action Plan focused on Washington and Commercial streets, High and Centre streets, Washington Street near Bath Iron Works, High Street south of Marshall Street and Five Corners, organizing fixes through engineering, education, encouragement, enforcement and evaluation.
Bath’s Downtown Parking Study refreshed the 1999 parking study with newer data and current conditions. It recommended metered on-street parking and considered whether a parking garage could be needed. The South End Parking Permit Program began on Jan. 1, 2022, to deal with parking and traffic issues identified in the 2019 South End Transportation Study. Bath no longer uses a permanent winter parking ban and instead issues temporary bans storm by storm.
At a Dec. 18, 2024 Bicycle, Pedestrian, and Transportation Committee meeting, the city discussed a Riverwalk extension feasibility study and a second neighborhood meeting would follow in January, with easements and property-owner coordination likely needed. Bath already has signs for downtown, the Visitor’s Center, parking, Bath Iron Works and the Maine Maritime Museum, but the system could be improved.
MaineDOT’s 2026-2028 Work Plan includes 2,798 transportation projects totaling $4.5 billion across Maine.
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