Scott Dyer Road, Cape Elizabeth’s primary east-to-west route, would see a variety of improvements under a so-called “Complete Streets” project pitched to the Town Council recently by Public Works Director Robert Malley.

Malley said the goal is to get an engineering study funded in the 2016-2017 fiscal year, with roadwork planned for 2018, if the $355,000 estimated cost of the project is approved by the Town Council within the municipal budget.

He told the council that Scott Dyer Road is the town’s third busiest road behind Route 77 and Shore Road, and called it “a major connector from the shorefront up to the Recycling Center and the school campus. ” The road, he said, “really needs to be looked at comprehensively.”

In an interview with the Current, Malley said that Scott Dyer Road is “an important connector to two large neighborhoods, the town center and the Pond Cove/middle school, (which is why) we should make sure that we assess all the needs of a road which is such a vital, multi-use transportation link in the community.”

He said that following a three-year water-main replacement project, Scott Dyer Road is ready for pavement work, but Malley wants it to be more than just an overlay project.

His plan calls for a Complete Streets approach, taking into account sidewalks, drainage, lighting and even trees and other plantings.

Overall, Malley said, with a Complete Streets design, planners must take into consideration “not only improving the condition of the pavement, but also addressing the needs of pedestrians, bicyclists and motorists.”

He said Complete Streets design includes assessing the condition of drainage infrastructure, curbing, lighting, shoulders, sidewalks and vegetation and how all of that impacts on the users of the road.

Malley said the projected cost for the Scott Dyer Road project is “a rough estimate that should become clearer after the scope of work is defined through a preliminary engineering study.”

Town Manager Mike McGovern agrees with Malley that Scott Dyer Road should be a priority.

“It’s important to look at long-range approaches to the road,” he said.

McGovern said that all suggestions for improving Scott Dyer Road “will be thoroughly circulated and debated,” but added the main goal “is to ensure that the surface is brought back into good condition and that pedestrians are safe.”

In reviewing the current condition of the road, Malley said, “We know that we have some sidewalk issues, isolated drainage problems and the loss of curb that (all) needs to be dealt with before we invest in new pavement.”

He said if the Town Council were to approve all the roadway improvements he would like to see, the funding would come from the road and drainage improvement accounts in the municipal budget.

“We may also seek funds from a cost-share program that the Maine Department of Transportation facilitates to assist communities with paving projects,” Malley said.

Scott Dyer Road is approximately a mile in length and includes community buildings, such as the library and schools, as well as single-family homes, condos and Cape Memory Care, a senior living community.

Malley said the last official traffic count for the road was done in 2007, when the average daily traffic was 3,280 vehicles, according to the Department of Transportation.

“We hope that the Town Council and the citizens agree with our proposed approach to these much-needed improvements,” Malley said.

Scott Dyer Road is one of Cape Elizabeth’s primary arteries, which is why the town is tagging it for a Complete Streets upgrade, including sidewalks, curbing and drainage improvements. This portion of Scott Dyer Road runs from the town center past the Pond Cove and middle schools.