Great Falls Forum with Jonathan Labonte

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The 2023-2024 season of the Great Falls Forum continues on Thursday, October 19^th, featuring Jonathan LaBonte, Transportation Systems Director for the City of Auburn, with a talk entitled “We Can Get There From Here, Because We Used To.” This free, public program will take place from 12 noon to 1 PM in Callahan Hall at the Lewiston Public Library.

During this presentation, LaBonte will give an overview of the potential future of transportation in the Lewiston-Auburn region, with highlights on how the system initially grew during the early development of the two cities. This includes aspects of urban and neighborhood development, industrial and distribution growth, and modes from foot to car and rail to air.

Long time residents of Lewiston and Auburn may recall a list of places that used to be reachable by foot instead of car and having many options for travel outside the twin cities, such as scheduled air service and passenger rail. While how we move today in the community looks very different, with wider streets and larger scale retail, reducing pedestrian access has not only impacted community development goals but also the safety of those traveling outside of a car. This presentation will highlight the financial realities associated with restoring some modes of transit, why implementing alternatives may support more cost-effective regional growth, and new initiatives to restore and improve walkability on our city streets.

Jonathan LaBonte earned his BS in chemical engineering at the University of Maine in Orono and began his career as a consulting engineer in Massachusetts. He returned to Maine to take graduate courses in public policy and administration at the University of Maine. Later roles have included working in higher education, consulting on municipal service delivery, state policy and budget development, land conservation, and outfitting outdoor enthusiasts with the gear they need to experience Maine.

Jonathan currently serves as the Transportation Systems Director for the City of Auburn, the Board Chair and Acting Manager of the Auburn Lewiston Municipal Airport, and the President of the Lewiston and Auburn Railroad Company. He lives in Auburn with his wife and two sons.

Admission is free to all Forum events and reservations are only required if attending via Zoom. The onsite program is a bring-your-own, brown-bag lunch event. Coffee and bottled water will be available on site at the library.

The Great Falls Forum speaker series is co-sponsored by Bates College, Lewiston Public Library, and the Sun Journal. The Lewiston Public Library is located downtown at 200 Lisbon Street at the corner of Pine Street. More information on Thursday’s lecture is available by contacting the Lewiston Public Library at 513-3135 or LPLReference@lewistonmaine.gov