A bucolic roadside now marked by the green fields of the Mosher Farm stretches along Route 237 in Gorham.

With a sewer line and a possible Turnpike spur on the way, however, town leaders believe the fertile soil that surrounds the road known locally as the Mosher Road could begin sprouting industry.

Shaw Brothers Construction of Gorham has purchased a large land tract on Mosher Road and is considering developing it.

“Route 237 (Mosher Road) would be a likely place to expand industry,” said Tom Ellsworth, director of the Gorham Economic Development Corp. “The sewer line has to go in before anything meaningful happens.”

Construction of the sewer line is expected to get underway next summer, and Gorham hopes to meet soon with the Maine Turnpike Authority to talk about the possibility of a Turnpike spur into Gorham. A leg of a Y-shaped spur could link up with Mosher’s Corner at the intersection of routes 237 and 25. The other leg of a spur could hook up with the Gorham bypass, which Congress allotted money for earlier this year. The bypass will divert traffic southwest of Gorham Village.

Burleigh Loveitt, chairman of Gorham’s Town Council, said more industry and traffic relief would lead to more jobs in Gorham. “We haven’t had quick access to highways,” Loveitt said.

Ellsworth said Gorham isn’t considered as remote as it once was 10 to 15 years ago. He said a sewer would aid industrial development and a bypass linked with a spur to the Turnpike would “unclog” the town.

“A sewer makes a lot of things possible,” Ellsworth said. “Alleviation of traffic problems would create business and commercial opportunities that don’t exist now.”

Ellsworth said Shaw Brothers Construction recently bought a major portion of land owned by Lachance Brick Company on Mosher Road. The brick company has moved its brick manufacturing to its plant in Auburn in recent months, according to Ellsworth. He said Lachance retained ownership of the building. The land parcel is zoned industrial.

Danny Shaw of Shaw Brothers Construction said they bought 106 acres from the brick company about six weeks ago. “It’s a nice piece of land,” Danny Shaw said.

But Shaw Brothers Construction hasn’t decided yet on future use of the parcel. “It would make a nice location for an industrial park,” Shaw said.

The brick company kept 14.5 acres and their buildings to sell bricks to the Portland market, according to Shaw. He added that Shaw Brothers Construction has almost completed reclamation of the clay pits where clay was dug for the manufacture of bricks.

“They dug clay out of there for years,” Shaw said.

Ellsworth said Shaw Brothers were open to a variety of development possibilities. “It’s exciting for Shaw Brothers and the town of Gorham,” Ellsworth said.

But the loss of brick manufacturing in Gorham disappointed Ellsworth. “We’ll do our best to mitigate the loss with new development,” Ellsworth said.

A large portion of the land along Mosher Road is zoned rural. But Ellsworth said a 57-acre parcel, owned by Mark Rines of St. Louis, Mo., is zoned industrial, and it lies on the opposite side of Mosher Road from the brick company.

Shaw said a Turnpike spur would definitely encourage development. He said traffic was backed up about a mile Tuesday morning almost to the brick company on Mosher’s Road from the intersection with Route 25. “It’s pretty tough,” Shaw said about rush hour traffic congestion there.

Arthur Libby, who has lived on Mosher Road for 55 years, has seen the increase in traffic. He recalled when he once waited for three hours for a car to pass his home when he needed a ride. But Libby said cars were passing his home steadily at 6:30 p.m. on Monday. “There’s been a big increase. All the roads are filled up,” Libby said about traffic congestion.

Michelle Clements of the Portland Water District said an engineering study is designing the new sewer line, which would convey sewage from Little Falls to a treatment plant in Westbrook. The sewer line would allow closure of the outdated sewage treatment plant in Little Falls.

John Williams, a lifelong resident on Mosher Road in Little Falls, worried a new sewer line would bring service fees “too expensive” for residents. Williams, who has cattle and horses, wondered if a sewer service fee for homeowners would be figured on water usage.

“I was hoping the sewer wouldn’t go in,” Williams said.

Another Mosher Road resident, John Stuart, said a sewer line combined with a Turnpike spur would put more pressure on landowners to develop, as open space would become more valuable. He enjoys the rural character of the area now.

Stuart said they have deer, turkeys, ducks and a “zillion” birds. “It would put pressure on wildlife,” Stuart said.

He said Mosher Road now has quite a bit of open space. “I would hate to see the Mosher Farm chopped up,” Stuart said.

Increased industry and more highways would eat up green space but would benefit the town. Loveitt said an increase in industry would have a “ripple effect” throughout the area and add to the tax base in Gorham. More tax money would allow townspeople to have things they want, he said.

Also, a highway would reduce traffic congestion and mean less fuel necessary for commuters to get to work. “It’s the direction Maine should be headed,” Loveitt said.

Ellsworth said Gorham would continue to take advantage of its location to attract more industry. He said the sewer and proposed highway improvements would be good for the whole community. “It’s extremely positive. It would be nice to see things happen quicker than they do,” Ellsworth said.

Tom Ellsworth, director of Gorham’s economic development.Lachance Brick Company, on the left, on Mosher Road in Gorham, where Shaw Brothers Construction bought 106 acres. Lachance Brick Company on Mosher Road in Gorham sold 106 acres to Shaw Brothers Construction of Gorham.

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