A rendering of the proposed Saco Downtown Gateway project was presented to the City Council Monday night. Contributed / Saco Public Works

The Saco City Council heard a downtown gateway concept plan Monday night that would create a more welcoming entrance into the city’s downtown.

The plan, which was created by the Saco Public Works Department, has been shared with the Planning Board and received positive comments from the board in March.

Looking at the area coming across from Biddeford, near the Saco mill, Saco Island East, and the train station, developers plan to essentially “beautify” the entrance to downtown, Public Works Director Patrick Fox said.

“For the last 10 years, it’s been mentioned that it would be nice to enhance the whole hill coming up from Biddeford into our Main Street downtown,” Fox said.

Currently, the Public Works Department is working with developers to upgrade traffic signals to make out-of-use signals more active.

As part of the concept plan, there would also be a pedestrian crossing to bring pedestrians across Main Street from Saco Island East, that has 24 townhomes, to 100 Main Street, which has a mix of businesses and residences.

The department would also like to slow traffic down and accommodate all modes of transportation by creating narrower lanes, landscaped islands, and a landscaped hillside with benches and plants.

Ward 7 Councilor Nathan Johnston said Monday that by narrowing the roads downtown, the city could be creating safety issues.

“There is so much traffic that travels this road and Elm Street,” Johnston said. “I think the concept is nice that we’re trying to accommodate all modes of transportation, but I just can’t envision narrowing down that road.”

One of the goals to help with driver behavior is to create an atmosphere of an area where slower traffic and pedestrians may be, Planning Director Emily Cole-Prescott said.

This could be achieved by making more narrow road widths in certain areas, as well as a simply landscaped hillside with low maintenance shrubbery.

“When you’re driving from Biddeford into Saco now, there’s no real indication to me that you’re entering a slower area,” Cole-Prescott said. “It speeds up a little bit when you come out of the signals.”

It has yet to be determined how the project might be funded, but options include using funding from the town, from a downtown TIF fund, or a construction bond.

The project also could take a phased approach, Fox said.

“It doesn’t have to happen in one go,” he said.

In the coming months, the project will have to be reviewed by the Planning Board a second time before heading to the City Council for approval.