The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has awarded the Town of Kittery more than $10 million to improve a 1-mile stretch of Route 1.
The $10,748,800 award from the DOT’s Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) grant program will fund improvements to safety and accessibility in the area.
Between 2020 and 2024, 154 crashes were recorded along the stretch of Route 1 set to benefit from this funding, including three that resulted in fatalities or serious injuries.
The SS4A program was established under the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), negotiated by a small group of lawmakers, including Maine Sen. Susan Collins (R).
In May, Collins joined Sen. Angus King (I) and Rep. Chellie Pingree (D) in writing a letter to DOT Secretary Sean Duffy supporting Kittery’s funding application.
“The Route 1 corridor safety improvements are critical infrastructure to prevent death and serious injury accidents along one of the region's most dangerous roads,” the lawmakers said at the time.
“This area currently lacks safe bicycle and pedestrian connections and is also conducive to high speeds that often lead to vehicle accidents,” they wrote. “The combination of complex intersections and commuters and tourists fuel this systemic risk.”
Collins celebrated the award in a press release shared Wednesday.
"The high number of crashes along this stretch of Route 1 underscores the need for safety improvements to better protect drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists," said Collins.
"This investment will help the Town of Kittery make this busy roadway safer and more accessible for everyone who uses it,” she said. “As a lead negotiator of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, I am pleased to see our legislation continue to deliver investments in critical infrastructure across the state of Maine."
Click Here to Read Sen. Collins’ Full Press Release
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