The stretch of Depot Street on Friday, Oct. 20, that Maine DOT is looking to fix up using the Village Partnership Initiative program. The project, if approved, would not see development until next year at the earliest. Brian Ponce/Franklin Journal
WILTON — Matthew Drost, transportation planner for the Maine Department of Transportation, gave a presentation to the Wilton Board of Selectpersons on Tuesday, Oct. 17. Drost’s presentation was in regards to work on the sidewalk on Depot Street utilizing Maine DOT’s Village Partnership Initiative program.
The Village Partnership Initiative which began in 2022 was designed by Maine DOT to “work in partnership with local officials to reinvest and revitalize one of the distinguishing features of New England: our iconic village centers.”
“Depending upon the vision of each individual municipality,” Maine DOT’s website states, “we can look to make once-in-a-lifetime investments in the lower-speed areas where people meet, shop, and do business. These village areas need to be built on a human scale: walkable, bicycle-friendly, and business-friendly.”
Wilton Town Manager Perry Ellsworth called the proposal “an opportunity” to combine multiple upcoming projects that need to be done on Depot Street into one large project.
“We know the sidewalks on Depot Street have been put aside for a number of years now,” Ellsworth stated to the board.
Drost stated that former town manager Rhonda Irish presented the sidewalk project to Maine DOT towards the end of her tenure as town manager.
Drost identified the projected area to start from the location of Forster Mill, which was foreclosed in 2015 and demolished in 2019, and stretches all the way to East Wilton Road.
According to Drost, program funding is available for both 2024 and 2025, allowing the town flexibility to allocate funds for the projects. Wilton would share the cost of the project with the state, ultimately being responsible for 40% of the cost with the remaining 60% falling on the state through reimbursement as per the perimeters of the grant program.
Ellsworth shared the town has two accounts, one undisclosed account and one account specifically for sidewalks, with funds to be used for the project. Between those two accounts, the town presently has $175,000. He stated that amount would not be enough to cover the up front cost, which he estimates may be roughly $250,000.
“In reality, we would have 100% of the cost of the engineering and the project [before reimbursement],” Ellsworth said. Drost added the town would be reimbursed once the project is accepted by an engineering firm.
Wilton Public Works Forman John Masse will also be involved heavily with the project to carry over details when Ellsworth departs from his position. Masse added that he wanted to start the project as soon as Academy Hill School is not in session. “If we can’t do it in 2024, I would like to aim for 2025 when the school is not in session,” he said.
Selectperson Philip Hilton asked if the program could be used for multiple projects, to which Drost stated it was possible. “Routinely, we haven’t had communities doing two [projects] at once,” he said. “Certainly they can be done subsequently.”
Selectmen elected not to make a motion for a vote, with Ellsworth asking permission to begin speaking with engineering firms.
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