Ernie Martin, senior project manager of Maine Department of Transportation, said Tuesday that the benches and trash receptacles that will be placed downtown, courtesy of MDOT, will be part of a separate contract after the main Downtown Improvement project is complete. 

Town Manager John O’Connell announced on May 21 that he spoke with Martin about benches, trash cans and planters, and Martin told him the town would receive the agreed-upon tree grates and trees already ordered and part of the original downtown contract, and benches and trash cans. The benches and trash cans are not part of the original work plan, and will be added by MDOT’s landscape architect after the sidewalks are installed.

At a Friends of Wiscasset Village meeting on Friday, however, Jeanne Kannegieser, MDOT liaison to the town, said she could not confirm that the additional amenities would be incorporated. She said her supervisor, the local project manager, told her she could not say the amenities project would go forward. “I know there had been rumors of benches in town,” she said. “I can’t say that will happen. Since the lawsuit, frankly, there isn’t a lot of interest in anything but a bare-bones project.”

Reached Tuesday, she said she hadn’t heard anything further from her supervisor. “I assume Ernie is right,” she said. “But I haven’t heard a thing since Friday.”

At the meeting, she said Route 1 is the main focus of MDOT’s effort at the moment, and that the weather had project two weeks behind schedule. They are trying to meet a June 15 deadline for paving, because there will be no paving between that date and Labor Day on Route 1 to avoid snarling traffic during the summer season. Eventually, there will be eight inches of material on Route 1, but during the summer, there may be only three inches, so stepping from the sidewalks, which will be at grade, onto the street will be a major level change during the summer.

The Friends group also discussed signage, greeters to assist visitors, events that will take place during the Wiscasset Art Walk, and a possible village festival in August, which will include Morris dancers, a marimba band, gift bags, and a possible cupcake bakeoff.