By Wayne E. Rivet

Staff Writer

Seeing significant development along Portland Road over the past year, as well as future construction starting soon, Bridgton officials will request a reduction in the speed limit to 40 mph from Beaver Creek Road to Sandy Creek Road.

“Our philosophy is best to prevent and not to react,” Bridgton Planning Board Chair Deb Brusini told the Select Board Tuesday night. “The Planning Board could send this request to MDOT (Maine Department of Transportation) on their own, but we think it will be more powerful if it came from the town, meaning the Select Board, the Planning Board and town manager…We’d like it to be a unified decision…The reason for it, it’s really about safety.”

Portland Road is certainly busier with the addition of a bigger Nouria gas and store facility, along with more activity at the BRAG Complex including a snowmobile crossing, as well as construction of new commercial spaces such as Ten Lakes Medical Facility and NAPA. Traffic flow will likely increase once Tractor Supply and Dollar General are built off Brag Way — on property behind Nouria.

Brusini noted that the new Nouria station is “one of the two largest stations in the state…there’s not one that’s bigger.” A Nouria in Sabatus is equal in size to the new Bridgton store.

She also pointed to Macdonald Motors development of a secondary lot across from the dealership.

“So, it’s really about safety,” Brusini said. “To lower the speed limit to 40 doesn’t mean people are going to go 40, but at 55, they’re probably going 65, some of them are.”

Officials have heard from citizens that exiting various points along Portland Road has been increasingly difficult due to vehicle volume and speed.

Public Services Director David Madsen plans to reach out to engineers who prepared traffic data as big projects like Nouria and Tractor Supply were in the planning stages to see “whether they think that it (speed limit) should go down, whether they think it was okay or if they made any recommendations.”

Select Board member Carmen Lone felt Madsen’s inquiry is a good move since requesting a traffic study can become “quite involved.” She also suggested the town check to see what MDOT has planned for Route 302.

Brusini pointed out that by state statute, a traffic study is not required to make a request to lower the speed limit. According to statute, “If a municipal request to the Department of Transportation to change the speed limit is denied, the department shall inform the municipality in writing of the reasons and shall meet with you.”

“So, the thought I have is if we put this forward (the request to lower the speed limit) and they agree, great,” Brusini said. “If they disagree, they’re going to tell us. And then, Mr. Madsen can connect with them.”

When asked if he had data on speeding summonses issued on that stretch of road and collision figures, Police Chief Phil Jones responded, “I don’t have any strong data to show that there’s a high level of crashes other than during the wintertime, which is a different issue altogether. So, I don’t believe the police department has data that will help influence I think what’s being asked of the board at this point.”

Brusini reiterated the request is a “preventative” step.

“These stores have gone up in quick order, and more are going up. Our approach is why wait for something to happen?” she said. “You lose nothing if you write to the Department of Transportation and they say ‘no.’ It actually stimulates the discussion in more detail.”

Madsen did ask one business (Campfire Grill) about the possible speed limit change, and they were “all in favor of it,” Brusini noted. “Any time people are going a little slower, they’re going to notice your business, and it’s going to be easier getting in and out of there.”

Willis Park Road resident Wayne Wheelock welcomed the speed limit change, noting he was involved in a collision there when his vehicle was struck from behind. He suffered a back injury from the crash. Wheelock added vehicles travel at a high rate of speed leaving Portland Road and entering Willis Park Road.

The Select Board agreed to direct Interim Town Manager Georgiann Fleck to write a letter (with assistance from Planning Board Chair Brusini) to MDOT requesting the speed limit change. Select Board Chairman Bob McHatton will sign the letter.

In other Board news:

A ‘different’ food choice — Lahcen Abaichi will soon bring a “different” dining experience to Bridgton when he opens Café Paprika, located in the space next to the golf driving range off Route 117.

“I think this is going to be good for the town, bringing some different diversity and different food to the region,” said Abaichi, who resides in Harrison.

When the space recently opened, rather than continue to commute, Abaichi liked the idea of being closer to home and a chance to open Café Paprika. Knowing the property owner from a previous business, Abaichi said, “it was an easy match.”

Café Paprika will feature Moroccan and Mediterranean food, made fresh in house, “with a lot of vegetarian dishes, a lot of meats.”

“It will be a bit different,” he said. “Almost like a destination when you crave or you want something different than what you have every day or every weekend. Hopefully you join us. It is going to be a slow pace kind of service. If you’re in a rush, forgive us. We want people to come in, sit, and enjoy the meal. (We’ll have) a lot of tea and a lot of coffees.”

Abaichi looks forward to meeting patrons and developing new friendships.

“I pride myself for being personable, friendly with people. You come in, we are going to have a relationship. You come back next time, I’ll pick up where we left it in a conversation,” he said. “So, I’m looking forward to do this.”

According to the victualer license, Café Paprika will be open seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.