Supporters of the Shore Road Pathway have formed a nonprofit to collect funds for the construction of the two-mile pathway along one of Cape Elizabeth’s busiest and most scenic roads. Members of the Safe Access For Everyone (SAFE) group have secured nonprofit status and are seeking donations to provide the local matching funds required by construction-funding grants.

While it is expected that the pathway will be built with federal bicycle and pedestrian Traffic Enhancement grant funds provided through the Maine Department of Transportation, these funds require that local communities provide 20 percent of the total project amount. With an estimated cost of approximately $1 million for the entire project, the SAFE group is planning to raise about $200,000 to cover the local matching funds.

“The Town Council was pretty clear in saying that while the town would commit funds to final design and permitting, they would not provide the 20 percent local match,” said SAFE Chair Jim Kerney. “We are seeking to mobilize community support to raise these necessary matching funds, and with luck, construction could begin by 2011.”

The group plans to raise the funds through a combination of general and specific appeals for support. Nonresidents are welcome to contribute. The group has launched a Web site, www.safecape.org, which provides more information about the Shore Road Path and the fundraising campaign. The group has also created a Facebook page, “Safe Access for Everyone” to help raise awareness of the campaign.

“This is an incredible opportunity for the community to build a great project that will enhance safety and access along this popular corridor which connects so many of our most important facilities, including the schools, Robinson Woods, Town Center and Fort Williams,” says Kerney. “And hopefully, the grant funds will make this an incredible bargain—we get 80 cents for every 20 we put in!”

Tax-deductible donations towards the local match for the project can be mailed to Shore Road Pathway, PO Box 215, Cape Elizabeth, ME 04107. All donors will receive a letter confirming their tax