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Petition Against Widening I-295
To the members of PACTS, the Maine Congressional Delegation and Governor Baldacci:
We, the undersigned, demand that all widening and expansion proposals for
I-295 be taken off the table and that immediate priority be, instead,
given to enhancing alternative and mass transit options for commuters
in our state.
As gasoline prices continue to rise, drivers in the greater
Portland region are struggling to pay the rising costs of their
commutes, and strongly desire more economical and convenient
alternatives.
While the cost of rehabilitating existing rail lines is estimated to be about $1M per mile,
highway lanes cost about 10 times more and can only carry 1/14th the people and freight. In this time of near
recession and large budget cuts, governments and consumers have to make
their money go farther.
Automobiles serve only those who are legally, physically and financially able to drive, which does not include the young, the elderly, the poor, and the handicapped.
Summer air pollution levels already threaten to put the greater Portland region out of compliance with the Clean Air Act.
Proposals to widen or expand I-295 are at odds with both the
state's commitment to bring its carbon emissions back down to 1990
levels by 2010 and with the financial viability of mass transit options, including the expansion of the Downeaster.
Please join the citizens of Maine in rejecting any requests for funding that include widening or expanding I-295 and in supporting mass transit solutions.
