Transportation for Maine Calls for Sustainable, Affordable Options

T4ME News release

SKOWHEGAN, Maine (June 3, 2026) — A new statewide coalition, Transportation for Maine, launched today at the Skowhegan Opera House in Skowhegan. The coalition of more than a dozen organizations working in economic development, transit, social services, land use, climate, conservation, and fiscal responsibility will announce its shared vision, principles, and policy priorities at Build Maine 2026, one of the state’s leading events on land use planning, housing, and development.

Transportation for Maine (T4ME) will call for investment in transportation systems that support walking, cycling, rolling, shared rides, and public transportation in communities throughout the state. T4ME will also call on other like-minded groups and individuals to endorse the vision and join as members.

“Our vision is simple but transformative: all people in Maine should have safe, accessible, affordable, relevant, and reliable ways to get around,” said Zoe Miller, T4ME Co-Chair and Executive Director of Moving Maine Network. “Transportation shapes nearly every aspect of daily life — from access to jobs, education, and healthcare to community connection and quality of life. Maine people deserve options that work for everyone.”

The coalition brings together members from a wide range of sectors and geographies, organized around a common set of guiding principles for Maine’s transportation future.

Transportation for Maine advocates for a system that is:

Accessible to people of all ages, incomes, abilities, and regions;
Affordable for households increasingly burdened by transportation costs;
Safe for everyone, regardless of how they travel;
Relevant to the diverse needs of Maine communities;
Reliable year-round in all parts of the state;
Flexible enough to provide real transportation choices; and
Beneficial to communities, public health, and the environment.

Coalition leaders say Maine’s current transportation system leaves too many people without dependable ways to access work, healthcare, education, and community life — especially older adults, young people, low-income households, and people who cannot or choose not to drive. Non-drivers make up 30% of the population, while less than 25% of state transportation funding goes to driving alternatives including transit, ports, ferries, passenger rail, freight rail, aviation, walking, biking, and rolling.

The coalition’s long-term vision is a transportation system that helps create resilient, connected, healthy, and thriving communities across Maine. The Coalition has already enlisted more than 15 organizations, including:

Alpha One Disability + Aging Solutions
Aroostook Regional Transportation System
Bicycle Coalition of Maine
Build Maine
Conservation Law Foundation
East Coast Greenway Alliance
Gateway Community Services
Kathadin Collaborative
Maine Rail Group
Mainers for Smarter Transportation
Maine Youth for Climate Justice
Moving Maine Network
Natural Resource Council of Maine
Sierra Club Maine
Vision Zero Maine

Additional coalition members shared why this effort matters:

“As a blind (nondriving) rural Mainer I am all too familiar with the barriers created by Maine’s limited public transportation. Roads and highways are fine, but access is available only to those who have a vehicle and the ability to drive. Leaders and residents in Maine need to realize that public transit is necessary statewide, offering nondrivers and drivers an opportunity to get where they need to go,” said Steve Hoad, Winslow resident.
“Too many Maine people are forced to spend a huge share of their income just getting where they need to go. In most homes, a vehicle is the second largest expense next to housing. The status quo is not tenable for many families. Expanding transportation options can lower household costs, strengthen local economies, reduce pollution, and improve quality of life in every part of the state,” said Josh Caldwell, Climate & Clean Energy Policy Advocate for the Natural Resources Council of Maine.
“When people have more ways to get around safely and affordably, communities become stronger,” said Emily Green, Director of Clean Mobility at the Conservation Law Foundation. “We can reduce isolation, support local businesses, improve public health, expand economic opportunity, clean the air we breathe, and build a transportation system that serves Maine for generations to come.”
“Transportation is about freedom and connection. Whether someone is walking, biking, taking transit, sharing rides, or driving, everyone deserves a system that is safe, dependable, and designed around people and communities,” said Paul Drinan, Director of Vision Zero Maine.
“Our state and town governments can’t afford to maintain the roads and bridges we already have, and every year we double down on this losing hand. It’s time to face the fact that what we’ve been doing hasn’t been working, and try something different,” said Myles Smith, co-founder of Mainers for Smarter Transportation.