WINDHAM — Town councilors Tuesday heard a review of a $15.5 million project aimed at safety and a beautification upgrade in its shopping district in North Windham.

“This is the economic center for the community,” Ben Smith, town planner, said in Tuesday’s meeting.

Smith said the project would include sidewalks, trees, lighting, intersection and traffic improvements, and median strips.

The upgrade would run about 1.5 miles along Roosevelt Trail (Route 302) from its intersection with River Road to White’s Bridge Road; and along Tandberg Trail (routes 115 and 35) from the Basin Road to Collins Pond Road.

Both sides of Roosevelt Trail would have sidewalks.

Burying utilities would be a seperate component. It’s all wrapped into the 21st Century Downtown Plan adopted in 2013 that began as a safety project for North Windham.

The total upgrade length would cover about 2.2 miles, Smith said Wednesday.

While no vote was taken Tuesday, the Town Council appeared to encourage continued planning and seeking funding. Town Manager Tony Plante urged the council to formulate a goal to work with. “We’re not ready for a vote,” Plante said.

Town Councilor Jarrod Maxfield favored the project with aesthetics that people would be proud of. “I would like to see us move forward on this,” Maxfield said.

However, Town Councilor Donna Chapman worried that voters would shoot it down.

Burying power and telephone lines could represent half the entire costs. “I wish we could do it all,” Chapman said. “I’m not committed to burying lines.”
 
Maxfield backed placing wires and cables underground. He said underground utilities are less likely to have issues. “We shouldn’t limit ourselves,” Maxfield said.

Smith said removing wooden utility poles would help with new sidewalks.

Smith said funding would likely be three years out. He said there’s a Feb. 3 deadline for filing an application with the Portland Area Comprehensive Transportation System. John Duncan, that agency’s executive director, attended Tuesday’s meeting in Windham.

Tom Bartell, executive director of the Windham Economic Development Corp., said he’s willing to work with the Town Council. “We are willing and able to help move this forward,” he said.

Speaking from the public podium, Scott Harriman, president and chief executive officer of Cumberland County Federal Credit Union, voiced concerns about medians that would impact business access along the highway.

Harriman urged the Town Council to look at the Route 1 plan in Falmouth.

The Windham plan received the 2014 Association of Planners Award for plan of the year.