The latest plans for a permanent Roux Institute campus on the site of the former Baked Bean factory in Portland call for new traffic signals, crosswalks and other changes to alleviate what residents fear will be a dramatic increase in neighborhood traffic.
Traffic engineers presented new data from city and state planners and private consultants to community members on Tuesday night.
Roux Institute developer Sam Reiche said the plan is to create a path connecting new public bike trails on the campus under Tukey's bridge.
"We'll be creating a bike path that will connect our perimeter path around the north side of Tukey's bridge and will get you over to the Back Cove trail, which then also connects you to of course the rest of East Deering and broader Portland neighborhoods," he said.
Traffic engineer Jen Conley said the university considered adding a shuttle to and from the new campus, but would prefer to subsidize students' METRO bus passes instead.
"And it is investment. It's a commitment by Roux, not only to pay for those passes. But we're also talking to them about subsidizing to get additional buses to come to the site, so that there is that very regular service for everyone," she said.
Several residents said they were skeptical that the plans would alleviate traffic, especially during the evening rush hour when close to 400 new trips are projected.
Campus planners say there are no plans in the near-term to build a possible off-ramp from Interstate 295 to the campus.
The Portland planning board will consider the Roux Institute's site plan during a public hearing next Tuesday.
