HCPC helps municipalities advance their transportation goals and plans through our technical assistance contract with the Maine Department of Transportation.
Types of assistance include:
- Funding research and grant application assistance
- Active Transportation
- Safety Planning and Assistance
- Climate Change
- Demonstration Project proposal assistance
- Resource for county, regional and statewide transportation information
- Availability to attend municipal committee/group meetings
Funding Opportunities
Maine Department of Transportation and the United States Department of Transportation regularly offer funding opportunities for transportation projects and programs. HCPC can help towns through the application process for grants and other funding mechanisms.
- Current MaineDOT Grants
- USDOT Grant Navigator
- MaineDOT Bicycle and Pedestrian Program
- Safe Streets for All
- Recreational Trails Program
- Maine Trails Program
- Small Harbor Improvement Program (SHIP)
- Working Waterfront Resiliency Grant Program
- Tribal Transportation Program Safety Fund
- National Railroad Partnership Program
- Maine Infrastructure Adaptation Fund
- Maine Public Working Waterfront Infrastructure Fund
MaineDOT Community Based Initiatives
MaineDOT’s Community Based Initiatives are an additional funding program to develop and deliver projects that bring out a shared vision and accentuate shared priorities in village centers and downtown areas.
- Village Partnership Initiative
- Municipal Partnership Initiative
- Planning Partnership Initiative
- Business Partnership Initiative
- Active Transportation Partnership Initiative
The Town of Bucksport completed a Safety, Accessibility, and Economic Study as part of its Planning Partnership Initiative with MaineDOT. View this webpage for more information about Bucksport’s PPI project. The City of Ellsworth and the Town of Stonington are currently engaged in a Village Partnership Initiative. Contact Greg Piduch or Jarod Farn-Guillette for information on beginning an Initiative in your town.
Demonstration Projects
Quick-Build Pilot, or Demonstration Projects are typically short-term, low-cost efforts to pilot improvement options to identify possible long-term implementation solutions. These projects should correct an unsafe situation or deficiency in the existing conditions of a given location, and projects should define clear goals to measure the success of a pilot project. HCPC staff works with municipalities to draft and submit proposals that lead to installing a demonstration project on the ground.
Current Plans and Projects
Information about the latest county and statewide projects and plans.
- Deer Isle Stonington Causeway Project
- MaineDOT 2026-2028 Three-Year Work Plan
- MaineDOT 2026-2028 Work Plan for Hancock County
- Ellsworth Bike/Ped Connector Project
- MaineDOT Statewide Transportation Improvement Program
- Maine State Active Transportation Plan
- MaineDOT 2050 Long-Range Transportation Plan
- MaineDOT State Transit Plan
- All MaineDOT Projects Currently Under Construction (last updated 01/19/26)
Public Transportation Services and Resources
Using Downeast Transportation and other regional programs, Hancock County is navigable for those with and without a vehicle through fixed route and on-demand bus services. The Hancock County Bar Harbor Airport and several ferry services also provide access to unbridged islands and areas outside of the county. A web application was created to show the location of community services and public bus stops in Hancock County. View the web application here. To interact with the data, zoom in on the map to your area of interest; you may need to do so to view all data layers.
Fixed Route and On-Demand Bus Service
- Downeast Transportation
- Island Explorer
- West’s Transportation
- Friends in Action
- Island Connections
- RideSource
Ferry Services
- Cranberry Isles Ferry
- Isle au Haut Ferry
- Bass Harbor Ferry Terminal to Swan’s Island and Frenchboro
- Bar Harbor/Winter Harbor Ferry
- Bar Harbor Ferry to Nova Scotia
Airport
Active Transportation
Communities should strive to make transportation equally accessible to users of all ages and abilities, which includes providing a range of options. Support for walking, biking, and other forms of active transportation is critical to the health and vibrancy of communities. HCPC can help expand and integrate active transportation in your community through available technical assistance and planning resources. The links below can provide more information and help generate ideas for local and regional projects:
Transportation Tools and Links
The following links and tools can help your communities research and plan for future transportation projects and initiatives. Additionally, as part of our 2025 countywide housing needs assessment, an interactive web application was developed to visualize Downeast Transportation bus stops and their proximity to community services within Hancock County. Zoom in for full functionality of this tool.
- MaineDOT Planning Page
- MaineDOT Public Map Viewer
- MaineDOT Complete Streets Policy
- Federal Highway Administration Complete Streets
- Maine Local Roads Center
- USDOT Equitable Transportation Community Explorer
- USDOT Transportation and Health Tool
- Maine Public Crash Query Tool
- US Census OnTheMap
- Resilient Transportation and Mobility Solutions Guide
- Marine Living Resource Needs and Opportunities in Transportation and Logistics
National Scenic Byways
A Scenic Byway is a public road having specific scenic, historic, recreational, cultural, archeological, and/or natural qualities that has been recognized through legislation or some other official declaration. Scenic Byways may be designated by the State in which they are located in or by the National Scenic Byways Program of the Federal Highway Administration. There are several Scenic Byways in Hancock County, including the Acadia All-American Road, Black Woods Scenic Byway, and the Schoodic Scenic Byway.