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Acadia Center Gateway Project Recieves $9 M Grant

Maine Public File

A project designed to establish a full-service intermodal transit hub serving Acadia National Park and nearby communities has received $9 million from the Federal Transit Administration. The money will help pay for the second and final phase of the Acadia Center Gateway project in Trenton, not far from the airport.

 David MacDonald is President and CEO of Friends of Acadia, one of the partners in this effort. He says phase one of the project, which was completed in 2012, included a storage and maintenance facility for the fare free Island Explorer shuttle bus system which was put in place to reduce traffic congestion and pollution in the region. MacDonald says phase two will allow the creation of a welcome center where visitors will be able to get information and buy a park pass.

“Get oriented to the bus system and, if they like, hop on a bus and leave their car right there.”

MacDonald says the goal is to offer visitors a positive experience that isn't entirely dependent on a car.

Ed is a Maine native who spent his early childhood in Livermore Falls before moving to Farmington. He graduated from Mount Blue High School in 1970 before going to the University of Maine at Orono where he received his BA in speech in 1974 with a broadcast concentration. It was during that time that he first became involved with public broadcasting. He served as an intern for what was then called MPBN TV and also did volunteer work for MPBN Radio.