PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • April 18, 2022
Maine is barreling down the road on a more than $200 million infrastructure investment that even its own backers agree is not enough to fix the current problem and could make things worse in the future. It’s the proposed Gorham-Westbrook connector, a five-mile toll road being developed by the Maine Turnpike Authority. New roads lead to more driving. It’s called “induced demand.” Traffic congestion in Westbrook, Scarborough, Standish and Gorham is not just a highway problem. Though these towns are some of the fastest-growing in Maine, public transit is not viable because the population is so spread out. Without allowing for denser development and offering a real transit alternative, building a faster road from Gorham to Portland could simply drive the development further west. Until we know where we’re going, this project should slow down.