PORTLAND – About 50 people turned out to hear more about a plan city officials say would reduce dependence on automobiles, expand transportation options and give city residents more opportunities for physical activity.

Wednesday’s hearing also allowed residents to comment on the city’s draft Pedestrian and Bicycle Plan, which must be approved by the Planning Board and City Council before its recommendations can be incorporated into Portland’s Comprehensive Plan.

Additional Photos

Markings painted on Ludlow Street identify designated cycling routes in the neighborhood. John Ewing/Staff Photographer

A Portland school bus navigates around a new traffic island on Ludlow Street on Wednesday. A pilot “Neighborhood Byway” program is being implemented in Deering Center. It promotes a network of pathways for an area’s schools, parks and businesses. John Ewing/Staff Photographer

Bruce Hyman, Portland’s bicycle and pedestrian coordinator, introduced the draft proposal.

“We are trying to establish a vision for walking and biking throughout the city,” Hyman told the audience. “We are really looking to make Portland a more livable and sustainable community.”

Goals of the plan include creating more walkways and bicycle lanes on city streets, installing more bike racks and repairing sidewalks, among other ideas.

The draft plan is being developed in part through a federal $1.8 million obesity prevention grant that has provided money for a number of initiatives aimed at getting residents to exercise more and eat healthier.

According to the city, there were 283 motor vehicle accidents involving pedestrians and 208 motor vehicle accidents involving bicyclists from 2005 to 2010. Better infrastructure, public education and law enforcement — all components of the draft plan — should reduce the number and severity of crashes, the city says.

Another feature of the plan calls for a neighborhood byway system, which would identify more than 20 miles of streets as preferred routes connecting neighborhoods, schools, parks and businesses.

Ross Fields said he and his wife moved to Munjoy Hill in July from Vermont. Before they moved, they sold all their vehicles, he said.

“The reason we moved here is that we could walk around the city. But we don’t walk just to exercise. We walk to appointments and to stores,” Fields said. “Please keep heading in this direction by making the city more walkable.”

Fields suggested the city require bicyclists to install warning bells on their bikes, as has been done in Europe, where he used to live. A woman said she was nearly struck by a speeding bicyclist, whom she did not hear while she was out for a walk.

Christian MilNeil serves as chairman of Portland’s Bike and Pedestrian Advisory Committee.

MilNeil said committee members voted recently to recommend that the improvements being developed in the Pedestrian and Bicycle Plan be funded with revenues from parking meter fines.

He said the committee supports raising downtown parking meter rates by 50 cents.

“It would mostly be a funding source that out-of-towners would end up paying,” he said.

Scott Patterson, who lives on Roberts Street near Deering Oaks park, urged the city to make the park more inviting to pedestrians and bikers.

“It’s our gem, the crown jewel of Portland, and it’s disconnected from the rest of the city,” Patterson said. “We need to open up the park and make it more friendly and attractive.”

Staff Writer Dennis Hoey can be contacted at 791-6365 or at:

dhoey@pressherald.com

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