While Franklin Street is fairly consistent with two travel lanes in each direction, widely varying levels of traffic along its length, and what’s behind the curb greatly affect how the street functions for various users. The transportation context analysis examines the current street design, safety and traffic trends, variations in transportation demand, and function of the street through a multi-modal lens. A number of key findings include:

• Franklin Street today provides an important connection between I-295, abutting neighborhoods, and the Commercial Street waterfront, and it changes distinctly from north to south. At its northern end, in the “highway transition zone,” it carries significant traffic volumes as a primary entry and exit point to and from the Portland peninsula.  At the southern end, it is a more urban street, characteristic of downtown and the Old Port.

• In terms of multi-modal infrastructure and services, Franklin Street is limited.  There is a sidewalk on at least one side of Franklin Street for its entire length, but the discontinuity of sidewalks and the large distances between and across street crossings makes walking its full length difficult. There are currently no bicycle facilities and very limited transit service.

• Crash data show significant numbers of crashes and a high probability of fatal and serious injury crashes at Franklin Street intersections. From 295/Exit 7 to Commercial Street there were 187 total crashes for the three year period from 2021 to 2023. Of those 187 crashes, 8 involved pedestrians and 5 involved bicyclists. Since 2023, two pedestrian fatalities have occurred on Franklin Street at Congress Street and Marginal Way. Seven of the ten locations on Franklin Street with traffic signals show a very high or high probability of crashes resulting in fatal or serious injuries according to an analysis by MaineDOT.

• Traffic volumes decrease significantly as the street moves south. From Marginal Way to Commercial Street, traffic volumes in the afternoon peak period (4:30-5:30PM) drop by over 70%. This creates the opportunity to design the street responsive to these changes in traffic volumes as well as the land use context.

• Over the last decade, traffic volumes have trended in different directions on different parts of the street. At the north end and the far southern end, traffic volumes have been relatively flat and declining over the decade. Modest increases in traffic have occurred at Cumberland and Congress Streets, with more notable growth at Middle and Fore Streets.

• Today, particularly in the afternoon peak hour, traffic in the northbound direction between Congress Street and Marginal Way experiences some congestion and long queues of traffic.