Two upcoming sidewalk projects in Falmouth will connect pedestrians to Falmouth Corners, the intersection of Bucknam, Falmouth and Middle roads.

The first sidewalk installation will cover 1.2 miles along Bucknam Road from the Bucknam Road bridge to Middle Road. Construction is set to begin this spring or summer, according to Adam Causey, Falmouth’s long-range planning director.

The project, which will include upgrades to the Falmouth Corners intersection markings and traffic lights, will cost $496,000. The Maine Department of Transportation will pay for half through the Urban Partnership Initiative, a regional funding program for active transportation, and the town will pay for the other half.

The second installation will be along Middle Road from Lunt Road to the Falmouth Corners intersection, where Bam Bam Bakery sits. The construction will be on the west side of the road and include stormwater drainage improvements. It will help connect OceanView pedestrians to more of the town, said Causey.

Engineering design for the Middle Road sidewalk is currently underway and construction will likely begin later this year or in 2027. The budget for the project is $600,000, half of which will be paid for by Maine DOT as well.

Over the past few months, the town has held information sessions for the public who may be impacted by the sidewalk construction to understand the project and provide feedback. Impacts to residents may include changes in snow removal and their mailboxes.

The two capital projects were initially identified by the town’s bicycle and pedestrian plan that was first created in 2016 and updated since. When looking for projects outlined in the plan to tackle, Causey said he and other town staff were looking for items that would be financially feasible for the town at this time. The cost sharing with Maine DOT under the active transportation made a project like this possible, he said.

“A lot of the stuff that’s remaining on our bike-ped plan are really big projects that are extremely expensive, so we are trying to find improvements to the system that we can handle right now,” said Causey.

“Part of the equation is finding things that we can afford within the current budget to go after,” he said.