Gorham town councilors will hear public comment next week on a sidewalk recommended for the south side of Morrill Avenue.
The public hearing will be at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 3, at Gorham High School, 41 Morrill Ave. The council could take action on the proposed sidewalk. The lack of a sidewalk has been a concern for the safety of students who walk along Morrill Avenue.
A traffic study, requested by the town, said the sidewalk should go on the south side of the residential avenue that leads to Gorham High School. Gorham Town manager David Cole said that abutters have been notified of the hearing.
Town Councilor Jane Willett asked last month for a title search to determine the width of the roadway. Cole told councilors that Morrill Avenue is only two rods wide.
Additional right-of-way would be required to construct a sidewalk. “We need more space to put down a sidewalk down,” Cole said.
Town Councilor Burleigh Loveitt hoped that Morrill Avenue neighbors would agree about which side of the street the sidewalk would be located on. He said the sidewalk has been a “sensitive issue” for years.
Lisa Bolduc of 7 Sylvan Road said a sidewalk would help safety but wouldn’t reduce speeding along Morrill Avenue. “Whatever you can do would be appreciated,” Bolduc told councilors.
Cole said installation of a traffic light at the intersection of Morrill Avenue and South Street was also studied. But he said the criteria for a traffic light was not met.
Residents of Morrill Avenue have complained about the number of school buses traveling through their neighborhood. Bolduc suggested to councilors that the school buses could use Access Road instead of Morrill Avenue.
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