Officials look to resolve parking, traffic problems

Town officials are planning to organize the free parking lots and move the Trailways bus stop in an effort to get traffic flowing smoothly.

The update was provided during a Town Board meeting on Tuesday, with Supervisor Bill McKenna saying the lower Comeau and Mountainview parking lots are expected to get attention that will create space for more vehicles.

“(Highway Superintendent) Mike Reynolds is getting ready to ... go in and do some upgrades which will help organize the parking of that it’s efficient,” he said. “They say that there’s 150 spots or something like that in there. You could never fit 150 cars because there’s no order to it.”

McKenna noted the upper Comeau parking lot was recently improved to mark parking slots and provide signs for traffic directions.

“We’re hoping next year we can get an upgrade to the lower Comeau parking lot where we can increase, possibly double, the amount of parking down there,” he said.

Officials reported the lower Comeau parking lot can accommodate 44 vehicles but without organization they acknowledge the capacity is smaller.

“Usually people don’t park (neatly) but we’re optimistic we can more than double that,” McKenna said. “We’re also in the process in the next month or two of putting a sidewalk in along the lower Comeau Drive.”

McKenna said efforts are being made to find a bus stop for Trailways but need to find a merchant willing to sell tickets along Mill Hill Road.

“We’re in the process of ... moving the bus stop down to CVS and Cumberland Farms,” he said. “The road is no wider there but it’s a straight away, so if you get a bus there you’ll still be able to get two-way traffic.”

The current stop on Tinker Street near the village green blocks traffic on a bend in the road, with many drivers unwilling to go around the bus because oncoming vehicles cannot immediately be seen.

“Trailways seems agreeable to it but they’re in the process of studying it,” McKenna said.