The Frost Street railroad tracks down the hill from Congress Street are in appalling need of repair. This track was formerly used by trains hauling paper from the mill in Westbrook. It has been in disrepair for a long time, but it has never been this bad. There is about a 3-inch-deep gully between the tracks and the road.
When you drive over the tracks you almost bottom out, as evidenced by hubcaps sometimes seen on the side of the road. I witnessed a motorcyclist crossing the tracks when the electronic sign indicated 37 mph; he almost went airborne. This is a heavily traveled road, and drivers aware of the gully go way over to the side to avoid it.
I have called the city Public Works Department more than a few times about this. They have said it is a railroad problem and advised me to call Pan Am Railways in Massachusetts, which I have also done more than a few times. Pan Am has told me it is a city street, and, therefore the city’s responsibility, so Pan Am will not repair it.
The city of Portland collects excise tax. The Maine Revenue Services website states, “The town that collects the excise tax can use it as revenue towards the annual town budget. Typically, the revenue is spent on local road maintenance, construction and repair.”
If Pan Am won’t repair the tracks, and the city won’t, where does this continual passing of the buck leave the drivers using that road? It leaves them facing the danger of expensive car repairs and even possible injury.
William Mulkern
Portland
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