Gray Village Transformation Project Aims to Redesign Village Area, New Website Launched

The Gray Village you see today may be much different than what the next generation of Gray families, business owners, and friends will experience in the years to come.

Two years ago, the Gray Town Council hired Principle Group, an urban design, development, architecture, and planning firm, to help us reimagine a Gray Village that works for pedestrians, bicyclists, residents, and businesses, as well as motorists.

Almost 200 residents participated in a community visioning process in July 2022, and based on their input, Principle Group came up with a new design plan. The plan calls for shorter, safer crosswalks, new and rebuilt sidewalks, bike lanes, street trees, and traffic-calming measures such as narrower travel lanes for cars, slower posted speed limits, and village-appropriate signs.

The Town of Gray and the Maine Department of Transportation (MDOT) are finalizing a Cooperative Agreement to establish the overall goals, responsibilities, and guidelines for the initial design phase of this exciting new project. The target area includes Main Street from Wayne Ave. to the Yarmouth Rd./Rte. 100/West Gray Road intersection, as well as major construction work on Yarmouth Road from Main St. to Hillcrest Drive. The Town has chosen a new name that befits an effort of this scale; the Village Transformation Project (VTP)!

Bringing the VTP vision to fruition is a huge undertaking that will take at least five years to complete. It will require cooperation among many stakeholders, and local, state, and federal funding. But we believe the Gray community deserves a Village that works for residents and local businesses, for walkers, bicyclists, and drivers. We’re also trying to anticipate the town’s needs for growth not just next year, or five years from now, but decades into the future. Stormwater drainage and an expanded public water supply are just two examples of this. While we have Main Street and Yarmouth Road dug up, it makes good financial sense to plan ahead and design them for the infrastructure we need, or will need in the not-too-distant future.

What’s next in bringing the VTP to life? The Town and Principle Group are collaborating with MDOT to complete the initial design phase of the project. We will continue to reach out to residents and local businesses for their input as part of this process, such as during the February 5 Village Transformation Project Business Community Workshop, which was well-attended by members of the Village-area business scene. Once the initial design phase is complete, MDOT will apply on the Town’s behalf to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s RAISE grant program, which would help fund the VTP.

Please visit this brand-new website the Town of Gray and Principle Group have created for the VTP. This visually pleasing and informative site will allow you to see the vision the community has in mind for the Gray Village, and allow you to stay updated on this extensive project.