MaineDOT Community Programs: MaineDOT Community Programs: State Urban Compact Municipalities
- ️Thu Feb 23 2017
Urban Compact Municipalities are those in which the population according to the last United States census;
- Exceeds 7,500 inhabitants, or
- Is less than 7,500 inhabitants but more than 2,499 inhabitants, and in which the ratio of people whose place of employment is in a given municipality to employed people residing in that same municipality is 1.0 or greater, and when the municipality has not exercised the opt-out provision of this section.
"Compact" or "Built-up sections" means a section of the highway where structures are nearer than 200 feet apart for a distance of 1/4 of a mile, unless otherwise defined; reference MRSA 23 sub-section 754, revised July 1, 1999.
On March 21, 2016, a new Rule entitled “Urban Compact Area Definition Rule” was enacted which defines the technical process of how compact area boundary lines are determined. That Rule can be found as “Ch. 110” at this link: http://www.maine.gov/sos/cec/rules/17/chaps17.htm
Presently there are 47 State Urban Compact Municipalities. The data from the 2010 US Census created four additional towns (Ellsworth, Gray, Buxton, and Waterboro) that became compact on July 1, 2012 because of population numbers over 7500. Pursuant to state law, each of these 47 municipalities have maintenance responsibilities within their defined compact areas.
To view the latest state urban compact boundary description, click on the municipality's name.
The State Urban Compact areas that meet one of the two definitions noted above:
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The State Urban Compact areas over 6,000 but less than 7,500 that did not have the opt-out option in 1999
- Belfast (PDF)
- Fairfield (PDF)
- Farmington (PDF)
- Gardiner (PDF)
- Houlton (PDF)
- Millinocket (PDF)
- Rumford (PDF)
Winter Compact State Highway municipalities
Any municipality eligible to be an urban compact municipality, that had compact area state highway winter maintenance responsibilities on January 1, 1999, and that has opted out of summer maintenance responsibilities. These municipalities have winter maintenance responsibilities on compact areas of state highways.
- Winter Compact Document (PDF)
- Municipalities
- Bar Harbor
- Bridgton
- Bucksport
- Calais
- Camden
- Dexter
- DoverFoxcroft
- Fort Kent
- Jay
- Lincoln
- Madawaska
- Oxford
- Pittsfield
Urban Compact Areas vs Federal Urban Areas
In comparing Urban Compact Areas in Maine to Federal Urban Areas, there is different criteria that defines the boundaries of each Area. All of the above-mentioned compact areas are also Federal Urban Areas except for the following towns which are NOT Federal Urban Areas: All 14 of the Winter Compact State Highway municipalities, Fairfield, Farmington, Kennebunk, Standish, Wells, and York.
Urban Compact Areas vs Regional Service Centers
In comparing Urban Compact Areas in Maine to Regional Service Centers, there are different criteria that defines each entity. All of the above-mentioned compact areas are also Regional Service Centers except for the following towns which are NOT Regional Service Centers: Cape Elizabeth, Falmouth, Gorham, Kennebunk, Lisbon, Standish, Wells, Windham, Yarmouth, and York. In addition, all of the “winter compact-only” towns are Regional Service Centers except for Jay. Also, there are several Regional Service Centers which are NOT urban compact areas.
Regional Service Centers
Regional Service Centers as defined by Maine State Planning Office.
This page last updated on 2/23/17
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