The Scarborough Town Council reduced a proposed increase in parking fines that had been proposed by the town manager and police chief.

The council voted on June 21 to decrease the proposed parking fines from $100 to $80 for general violations and handicapped violations dropped from $150 to $120.

At an earlier meeting when the increases in fines were originally discussed, Coulthard Farms Road residents Leslie Garber and Joan Nigro both said they thought $100 and $150 were much higher than surrounding towns.

“I am adamantly opposed to the parking fines,” said Garber. “I think that a $100 fine is excessively high.”

Nigro also believes that such high fines would not only deter people who live outside of Scarborough from using the beach, but Scarborough residents as well. Both women were concerned these fines would only limit the town’s access to the beach rather than solve a parking problem.

Councilor Jeffrey Messer also agreed the fines were too high and asked that they be lowered to $80 and $120.

“I think that even with a grace period they are too high,” he said. He also agreed that after looking at other towns Scarborough would be much higher than most.

Police Chief Robert Moulton had no problem with the lowered fines, although he pointed out that in towns like York fines are doubled after one week of nonpayment and in Old Orchard Beach, Biddeford, Cape Elizabeth and Ogunquit fines double after 30 days.

Oak Hill traffic

In other news, the Council also had a preliminary look at a traffic study nine months in the making for the Oak Hill intersection.

During a town-wide traffic study done in 2004, Oak Hill was singled out as a top priority for road improvements to help ease growing amounts of traffic. The study presented at the meeting is a first step in finding solutions for the busy intersection.

The study suggests that if nothing is done the intersection will soon fail, or reach complete gridlock, in the next few years. Additionally, any new development along Route 1 is required to receive extra traffic permits from the state. For the Maine Department of Transportation to continue issuing permits Oak Hill needs to be improved.

A short-term goal is to add an extra left-turn lane on Black Point Road onto Route 1. Eventually the study recommends that Route 114 and Black Point Road have raised islands that will allow traffic to flow around turning cars.

The ultimate proposed solution is to build two entirely new roads that can completely bypass the intersection. One connector road would go from Hannaford Drive to Eastern Road, and another would come from Black Point Road, rejoining Route 1 on Commerce Drive.

Early cost estimates are about $1.9 million for the two short-term solutions and about $10.5 million for the connector roads. The council will discuss the study at a later workshop.

A new Turnpike entrance on the Saco-Scarborough line would also help with traffic that uses Route 1 to go to and from Portland. If drivers could easily get on and off the Turnpike there would be no reason for a number of drivers to come through Oak Hill.

The Council voted to allow Town Manager Ron Owens to enter into discussions with both Saco and Old Orchard Beach about a new Turnpike entrance.

According to Owens, nothing would be done until the Turnpike finished its own studies weighing the costs and benefits. He does not expect any type of new Turnpike construction in Scarborough for at least another 10 years.

Senior Center Committee

In other news, the Council also voted to allow the Senior Services Study Committee to delay its report initially scheduled for this month until the end of September.

The committee has decided to conduct a survey of Scarborough’s senior population before making any recommendations about a senior center to the Town Council.

The Council originally gave $10,000 to the committee, and that money will be used to hire an outside company, Critical Insights, that will conduct the survey.

According to committee member Rev. David Calhoun, the survey is meant to find out what seniors want and need.

“We’re trying to be as thorough as possible,” said Calhoun. “We want to look at and understand who these people are and what they need and desire.”