By Renee Worthing 

Register Reporter 

 Sanford Town Manager Mark Green said bids for the first phase of the mill yard revitalization project will most likely go out in May.

  Construction of the new roadway, including streetscape features such as bike lanes, an esplanade, granite curbing, an enclosed drainage system, street lighting and a sidewalk would be completed in three phases, Green said.

  Green said the entire project is expected to cost about $2.7 million dollars – $500,000 more than engineers originally estimated.

 “We hope to come in at the budgeted amount after the bids come in,” he said.

 He said funding sources for the project include a $500,000 Community Development Block Grant and a $1.5 million bond that will be repaid through tax increment financing (TIFs) from the WalMart/Lowes retail development.

  Town officials were presented with the concept plans at a workshop March 11. The purpose of the new road and sidewalk system in the mill area is to create a connection between the mills and downtown.

 The first phase will include a road and sidewalks from Emery Street to the old bridge behind the mills. Revitalization of the bridge would be the second phase, Green said.

  He said the bridge, currently used for truck deliveries, is structurally sound, although the “deck” of the bridge needs to be “built up” and the railings need to be replaced.

 According to a report by Wright-Pierce, an engineering firm based in Topsham, the bridge, most likely constructed in 1926, “presents an immediate danger to pedestrians” because someone could fall through wide gaps in the railing.

  The third phase, which would include constructing the remainder of roadway from the bridge to the exit point, would complete construction. However, whether the road emerges onto High Street or Washington Street remains a sticking point with town official and business owner Roger Caron. 

  While town officials prefer the road to emerge on Washington Street, Green said Caron who owns Surplus Business Assets on the corner of Washington Street prefers the road to intersect with High Street.

  “The property owner is not excited about the road going through his property,” Green said. “He’s concerned about losing parking.”

 Wright-Pierce offered three conceptual site plans. The first was meant to create a “Main Street”-style roadway, however, the layout, best suited for retail shops and restaurants, influences potential uses for the mill building. It was determined the layout may limit developer interest in the property.

 A second concept included a transition in the road that could have created “awkward traffic movement and potential pedestrian conflicts.” The plan was not recommended.

  The third option offered a curving roadway, which was deemed compatible with various potential uses of the mill building.

To contact Renee Worthing, email news@intheregister.com or 282-4337 ext. 240.