Maine Department of Transportation

Last updated
Maine Department of Transportation (MaineDOT)
Maine Department of Transportation logo.png
Agency overview
Formed1972
JurisdictionState of Maine
Headquarters24 Child Street, Augusta, Maine 04330
Parent agencyState of Maine
Website maine.gov/mdot

The Maine Department of Transportation, also known as MaineDOT (occasionally referred to as MDOT), is the office of state government charged with the regulation and maintenance of roads, rail, ferries, and other public transport infrastructure in the state of Maine. An exception is the Maine Turnpike, which is maintained by the Maine Turnpike Authority. MaineDOT reports on the adequacy of roads, highways, and bridges in Maine. It also monitors environmental factors that affect the motor public such as stormwater, ice/snow buildup on roads, and crashes with moose. MaineDOT was founded in 1972 and replaced the former Maine State Highway Commission. [1]

Contents

Organization

MaineDOT is an agency that consists of several offices:

Road

See List of Maine State Routes, Interstate 95 in Maine, U.S. Route 1 in Maine and U.S. Route 2 in Maine.

Rail

MaineDOT owns hundreds of miles of railway track in the state, much of it acquired as the result of abandonment of rail on unprofitable lines by private carriers. The state does not itself operate a railway, instead leasing lines or engaging private contractors to operate on state-owned rails:

In 2012, MaineDOT sought an operator to restore passenger service on St. Lawrence and Atlantic Railroad tracks to Lewiston and Auburn, Maine." [5]

Ferry

Maine state law requires MaineDOT to operate regular ferry routes, known as the Maine State Ferry Service, to specific island localities along Maine's Atlantic coast. [6] All ferries can carry passengers, vehicles, and freight. As of 2021, the service consists of six routes. [7]

Mainland terminusIsland terminusVessel(s)DistanceTime
Rockland Ferry Terminal,
Rockland 		Vinalhaven [8] Captain Richard G. Spear, Captain E. Frank Thompson15 mi (24 km)1:15
North Haven [9] Captain Neal Burgess12.5 mi (20.1 km)1:10
Matinicus Isle [10] M/V Everett Libby23 mi (37 km)2:15
Lincolnville Islesboro [11] Margaret Chase Smith3 mi (4.8 km)0:20
Bass Harbor Swan's Island [12] M/V Captain Henry Lee6 mi (9.7 km)0:40
Frenchboro [13] 8.25 mi (13.28 km)0:50

The law also provides for the Maine State Ferry Service Advisory Board, [14] which is charged with advising MaineDOT on all ferry-related matters and recommending changes via an annual report, as well as naming MaineDOT's ferry vessels and terminals. [15] The board is composed of one member from each island served by the ferries and three members appointed by the Commissioner of Transportation, each with two-year terms. [16] [17]

Besides MaineDOT, coastal Maine is served by a number of other private and public ferry operators. A notable example is Casco Bay Lines, a non-profit created by emergency state legislation in 1981 to maintain ferry service between Portland and islands in the neighboring Casco Bay. [18]

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rockland, Maine</span> City in Maine, United States

Rockland is a city in and the county seat of Knox County, Maine, United States. As of the 2020 census, the town population was 6,936. The city is a popular tourist destination. It is a departure point for the Maine State Ferry Service to the islands of Penobscot Bay: Vinalhaven, North Haven and Matinicus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Islesboro, Maine</span> Town in Waldo County, Maine, United States

Islesboro is a town in Waldo County, Maine, United States, comprising Islesboro Island and several smaller islands. The population was 583 at the 2020 census. It has a summer colony accessible by state ferry service from Lincolnville Beach three miles to the west, by private boat, or by air taxi service. Home to Warren Island State Park, Islesboro includes the village of Dark Harbor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Casco Bay</span> Inlet of the Gulf of Maine, United States

Casco Bay is an inlet of the Gulf of Maine on the coast of Maine in the United States. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's chart for Casco Bay marks the dividing line between the bay and the Gulf of Maine as running from Bald Head on Cape Small in Phippsburg west-southwest to Dyer Point in Cape Elizabeth. The city of Portland and the Port of Portland are on Casco Bay's western edge.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St. Lawrence and Atlantic Railroad</span> Railroad in northern New England

The St. Lawrence and Atlantic Railroad, known as St-Laurent et Atlantique Quebec in Canada, is a short-line railway operating between Portland, Maine, on the Atlantic Ocean, and Montreal, Quebec, on the St. Lawrence River. It crosses the Canada–US border at Norton, Vermont, and Stanhope, Quebec, and is owned by short-line operator Genesee & Wyoming.

<i>Downeaster</i> (train) Amtrak service between Boston, MA and Brunswick, ME

The Downeaster is a 145-mile (233 km) passenger train service operated by Amtrak and managed by the Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority (NNEPRA), an agency of the state of Maine. Named for the Down East region of Maine, the train operates five daily round trips between North Station in Boston, Massachusetts, and Brunswick, Maine, with ten intermediate stops.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maine Central Railroad</span> Defunct American Class I railway

The Maine Central Railroad was a U. S. class 1 railroad in central and southern Maine. It was chartered in 1856 and began operations in 1862. By 1884, Maine Central was the longest railroad in New England. Maine Central had expanded to 1,358 miles (2,185 km) when the United States Railroad Administration assumed control in 1917. The main line extended from South Portland, Maine, east to the Canada–United States border with New Brunswick, and a Mountain Division extended west from Portland to St. Johnsbury, Vermont, and north into Quebec. The main line was double track from South Portland to Royal Junction, where it split into a "lower road" through Brunswick and Augusta and a "back road" through Lewiston, which converged at Waterville into single track to Bangor and points east. Branch lines served the industrial center of Rumford, a resort hotel on Moosehead Lake and coastal communities from Bath to Eastport.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lowell Line</span> MBTA Commuter Rail line

The Lowell Line is a commuter rail service of the MBTA Commuter Rail system, running north–south between Boston and Lowell, Massachusetts. It is 25.4 miles (40.9 km) long, with nine stations including the terminals at North Station and Lowell station. All stations are accessible except for West Medford and Mishawum.

This article discusses transportation in the U.S. state of Alaska.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northwestern Pacific Railroad</span> Regional railroad in California, US

The Northwestern Pacific Railroad is a 271-mile (436 km) mainline railroad from the former ferry connections in Sausalito, California north to Eureka, with a connection to the national railroad system at Schellville. The railroad has gone through a complex history of different ownership and operators but has maintained a generic name of reference as the Northwestern Pacific Railroad, despite no longer being officially named that.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Casco Bay Lines</span> Publicly run transportation company in Maine, US

Casco Bay Lines is a publicly run transportation company that services the residents of the islands of Casco Bay, Maine. The seven islands are Peaks Island, Little Diamond Island, Great Diamond Island, Diamond Cove, Long Island, Chebeague Island and Cliff Island.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Port of Portland (Maine)</span> Seaport district in Portland, Maine, USA

The Port of Portland is a seaport located in Portland, Maine. It is the second-largest tonnage seaport in New England as well as one of the largest oil ports on the East Coast. It is the primary American port of call for Icelandic shipping company Eimskip.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Belfast and Moosehead Lake Railroad (1871–2007)</span>

The Belfast & Moosehead Lake Railroad was a standard-gauge shortline railroad that operated from 1871 to 2007 over a single-track grade from Belfast to Burnham Junction in Maine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St. George Terminal</span> Transit center in Staten Island, New York

St. George Terminal is a ferry, railway, bus, and park and ride transit center in the St. George neighborhood of Staten Island, New York City. It is located at the intersection of Richmond Terrace and Bay Street, near Staten Island Borough Hall, SIUH Community Park and Richmond County Supreme Court. St. George is a rare example of a rail-boat connection in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Midcoast</span> Region of Maine

The Midcoast is a region of the U.S. state of Maine that includes the coastal counties of Waldo, Knox, Lincoln, and Sagadahoc; and a small part of Cumberland County. The Midcoast is a popular tourist destination, and many people own summer homes in the region. The area includes much of Maine's rock-bound coast.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of the MBTA</span> Story of mass transit in the Boston US area

The history of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) and its predecessors spans two centuries, starting with one of the oldest railroads in the United States. Development of mass transportation both followed existing economic and population patterns, and helped shape those patterns.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Central Maine & Quebec Railway</span> Freight railroad operating in Canada and the USA

The Central Maine and Québec Railway was a Class II freight railroad operating in the U.S. states of Maine and Vermont and the Canadian province of Quebec with headquarters in Bangor, Maine. It was owned by Railroad Acquisition Holdings, LLC, a subsidiary of Fortress Investment Group, LLC. It is now a subsidiary of Canadian Pacific Railway since June 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nashua and Lowell Railroad</span> Defunct railroad in Massachusetts and New Hampshire

The Nashua and Lowell Railroad (N&L) was a 14-mile-long (23 km) railroad built to connect Nashua, New Hampshire with the city of Lowell, Massachusetts. Chartered in June 1835, construction began in 1837 and the first train ran the next year. The Nashua and Lowell was the first railroad built in the state of New Hampshire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rockland Ferry Terminal</span> State ferry terminal in Rockland, Maine

Rockland Ferry Terminal is a public ferry terminal and intercity bus stop in Rockland, Maine. It is the mainland terminus for ferries to three island communities in Penobscot Bay: Vinalhaven, North Haven and Matinicus. Concord Coach Lines provides bus service to Portland, Bangor, Boston, and nearby towns.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Public transportation in Maine</span>

Public transportation in Maine is available for all four main modes of transport—air, bus, ferry and rail—assisting residents and visitors to travel around much of Maine's 31,000 square miles (80,000 km2).

References

  1. ↑ 59th Annual Report of the Maine State Highway Commission (Report). Maine State Highway Commission. 1972. p. 9-12.
  2. ↑ "Maine reaches deal to buy imperiled rail lines". Trains Magazine. 20 October 2010. Retrieved 20 October 2010.
  3. ↑ downeastscenicrail.org
  4. ↑ "Central Maine & Quebec to take over route of Maine Eastern". Trains Magazine. 2015-09-03.
  5. ↑ "Construction Advertisement Plan". Maine Department of Transportation. Retrieved 2 April 2012.
  6. ↑ "Title 23, §4401: Ferry service for North Haven, Vinalhaven, Islesboro, Matinicus Isle, Swan's Island and Frenchboro". legislature.maine.gov. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  7. ↑ "Maine State Ferry Service". www.maine.gov. MaineDOT. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  8. ↑ "Vinalhaven Ferry". www.maine.gov. Maine State Ferry Service. Retrieved 20 January 2022.
  9. ↑ "North Haven Ferry". www.maine.gov. Maine State Ferry Service. Retrieved 20 January 2022.
  10. ↑ "Matinicus Ferry". www.maine.gov. Maine State Ferry Service. Retrieved 20 January 2022.
  11. ↑ "Islesboro Ferry". www.maine.gov. Maine State Ferry Service. Retrieved 20 January 2022.
  12. ↑ "Swan's Island Ferry". www.maine.gov. Maine State Ferry Service. Retrieved 20 January 2022.
  13. ↑ "Frenchboro Ferry". www.maine.gov. Maine State Ferry Service. Retrieved 20 January 2022.
  14. ↑ "Title 23, §4301: Board established". legislature.maine.gov. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  15. ↑ "Title 23, §4304: Duties". legislature.maine.gov. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  16. ↑ "Title 23, §4302: Membership". legislature.maine.gov. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  17. ↑ "Maine State Ferry Service Advisory Board". www.maine.gov. MaineDOT. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  18. ↑ "About". Casco Bay Lines. Retrieved 10 August 2021.

Sources

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