ROCKLAND, Maine — For decades, Rockland’s busy Main Street has had two lanes of traffic, both in the same direction. That may change next week, as the city tries to help bring more customers to downtown businesses. Because of COVID-19, there continues to be a lack of tourists and reluctance of many people to dine inside restaurants.
“In other times, we would see a much more vibrant downtown,” said Jennifer Rockwell, who owns Main Street Markets and Ada’s Kitchen restaurant. She says it's been slow for all the city’s downtown restaurants. City Manager Tom Luttrell said some still have not opened, or only opened partially.
But after a vote Monday by the City Council, Rockland has a plan to change that. The city intends to reduce Main Street to one lane of traffic, and open up parking spaces and sidewalks for restaurants and retailers to do business outdoors. A change enthusiastically supported by the downtown promotional group, Rockland Main Street.
“I think this is a wonderful idea,” said the group’s executive director David Gogel. “We have to do something to make people feel safe and welcome downtown and give our businesses a chance to interact with customers.”
City Manager Tom Luttrell said they’re moving quickly to get the plan in place, so they can boost business.
“That’s the goal, to get people on Main street back to work, people in Rockland back to work, stimulate the economy around here.”
One obstacle remains—Luttrell said they’re still working on approval from the Maine DOT, needed because Main Street is also Route One, the primary coastal highway.
“Actually, we haven’t fully sold the idea to DOT,” Luttrell admitted Wednesday. “We sold the idea of closing parking spots with jersey barriers and they’re in full support.”
The manager said Route One traffic will continue to move as usual, just reduced to one downtown lane for six blocks. He said he’s confident the DOT will support the plan.
Business owners like Jennifer Rockwell say they all need it to happen.
“I hope this brings more people downtown and creates really good energy on Main Street. With people outside and signs of life which we need nowadays."
David Gogel said he and the City are working with a landscape architect to design planters and arrangement of barriers to put the traffic change into effect. He said there will likely be changes needed once the new traffic pattern begins, which the City Manager said should happen next week.
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