BREWER, Maine — "It's not lit up, and there's only crosswalks at certain areas," Brewer native Michale Kebarian said while strolling down South Main Street in Brewer.
For Kebarian, he said these walks he often takes have gotten more difficult over the years.
"I'd like to see the sidewalks be improved, straighten them out because there's a lot of gulleys and it makes it difficult [to those] who have leg problems and stuff because they're falling," Kebarian said.
With help from the Bangor Area Comprehensive Transportation System (BACTS), though, city officials are hoping to figure out the best ways to make the area more accessible for Kebarian and other residents.
"Making sure that whatever we end up recommending meets the public needs," BACTS Transportation Planner Jacob Stein said.
According to Stein, the Village Partnership Initiative is in conjunction with another project the organization is working on called the South Main Street Corridor Study.
"Improving sidewalks, lighting, making the feel of the different corridors that it's happening on feel more active transportation-focused," Stein said.
Interim City Manager Eric Glidden said one of the main priorities for both projects is seeing where safety features like wider bike lanes and crosswalks are most needed.
"Ask residents where are some areas where pedestrian safety has been an issue for you and we want to know that and those are the things that [we] would want to look at and address," Glidden said.
Not only making residents safer, but hopefully giving them the chance to better connect with local businesses in the area.
"Hopefully we'll draw more people in and they'll be more willing to come into downtown and do business," Glidden said.
Brewer city and project officials said they will be holding another meeting for public feedback sometime in November. If you have any suggestions for improvements, you can also email jacob.stein@bactsmpo.org.