VHB thought leaders recently presented innovative transportation solutions at the 73rd annual Maine Better Transportation Association (MBTA) Conference. As the organization's largest conference, the event brought together transportation professionals from municipalities, businesses, and other individuals invested in building a strong, multimodal transportation system in Maine.
The theme for this year’s event was “Safety for All: Reliable Mobility, Livable Villages, and Effective Transitions.” With topics ranging from the evolution of roadway design to advances in climate technology, the conference provided a forum for transportation officials in Maine and beyond to discuss policy and technical innovation.
Maine Director of Transportation Tony Grande presented the session, “Sanford: Safety in Action,” which focused on the revitalization of downtown Sanford, ME. The City of Sanford received a RAISE (Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity) Grant in August 2022 for the project, which aimed to modernize infrastructure and improve safety aspects of the downtown area for pedestrians, motorists, and all road users. Tony also described VHB’s role in completing Sanford’s Safety Action Plan utilizing a Safe Systems approach.
Project Manager Mark Suennen’s presentation, “Shouldering the Load: Part-Time Shoulder Use (PTSU) in Maine and New Hampshire,” discussed the background and context for the new I-95 Dynamic PTSU system at the Piscataqua River Bridge, which began operating during the summer of 2024 after almost six years of planning, design, construction, and testing. Mark’s session highlighted how this initiative will ease congestion during peak traffic periods by allowing use of the shoulder as a travel lane.
VHB has collaborated on a number of transportation initiatives with the Maine Department of Transportation (MaineDOT), who presented the conference in partnership with the MBTA. One recent example is the Madawaska-Edmundston International Bridge design-build project, which VHB supported with site and civil engineering design services for the new Land Port of Entry (LPOE) facility in Maine. An important international border crossing for more than a century, this significant international infrastructure project was highlighted during the event’s luncheon awards ceremony.
Read about VHB’s work with State DOTs.
