Wiscasset's town manager has asked for the state's help in determining the economic impact of losing homes, businesses and land that will be taken by the Route 1 bypass. Up to 33 homes, 15 businesses, and many acres of land will mean lost tax revenue for the towns of Wiscasset and Edgecomb.

The "preferred route" (or routes) are expected to be announced by the Maine Department of Transportation (MDOT) at meetings set for June 10 at 5 p.m. at the Edgecomb Eddy School on Route 27, and on June 26 at 6:30 at the 911 Communications Center on Route 1 in Wiscasset.

The meetings of the task force are open to the public.

Wiscasset Town Manager Arthur Faucher said he asked MDOT's Kathy Fuller for help in determining how the losses will affect the town, not only in properties and buildings removed from the tax rolls, but also the "social impact assessment." Faucher calculates about $26 million, which is the value of land and buildings, will no longer be taxable to the town. At the present tax rate, this would amount to an actual loss in tax dollars of about $350,000.

However, this dollar amount is only for those properties in the direct path of the roadway, Faucher says, and does not include the adjacent or nearby properties that will be reduced in value because of their proximity to the road. As these property owners find their homes or businesses are no longer worth as much, they will ask that their taxes be lowered, and the town once again will be losing tax dollars.

Faucher said he is hoping the state will begin the economic impact study as soon as a route is chosen. Members of the task force, in addition to Faucher, are Wiscasset Selectman David Nichols; Don Jones, chairman of the Wiscasset Transportation Committee; Edgecomb Selectman Jo Cameron; former Edgecomb Planning Board member, Amanda Russell; Edgecomb Fire Chief Barry Johnson; Lincoln County Planning Director, Bob Faunce; Alna Planning Board member Doug Baston; Newcastle Selectman Lee Straw; former Woolwich Selectman David King; former Public Advisory Committee member Dave Bertran, Westport Island; Boothbay Selectman Ross Edwards; Boothbay Harbor Town Manager Tom Woodin; Jaimie Logan, Boothbay Harbor Chamber of Commerce; Leah Sprague, Sheepscot Valley Conservation Association; Don Hudson, The Chewonki Foundation; Norma Dreyfus, Friends of Coastal Preservation; Dale Doughty and Ed Hansom, MDOT; and Peter Kleskovic, Federal Highway Administration.

For more information on the proposed routes, go to the Web site at http://www.wiscassetroute1corridor.com/new/meetings.asp .