SKOWHEGAN $ A controversial plan to construct a second bridge over the Kennebec River with connector roads that would bypass the downtown business district is set for public meeting Thursday.

The Public Advisory Committee meeting, hosted by the state Department of Transportation, is set for 3:30 p.m. at the Community Center off West Front Street.

The meeting is part of a series of sessions designed to air environmental, natural resources, traffic and economic data on what a second bridge and a bypass route would mean to residents and businesses.

The scheduled topic today is the projected economic impact of rerouting east-west traffic away from downtown Skowhegan, Department of Transportation project manager Judith Lindsey said.

The committee is made of about 15 people appointed by the towns of Skowhegan and Madison, where the greatest impact will be felt, Lindsey said Wednesday.

"On (Thursday's) agenda we are going to present the results of an economic analysis that we conducted this summer," she said.

"It was a survey of the businesses in the downtown area $ that is going to be probably 95 percent of our meeting $ presenting the results of the economic study and the responses from the businesses."

Lindsey said 80-100 local businesses responded to the survey.

"The summary is that there is a positive future outlook for the Skowhegan and Madison area," she said. "Most of the businesses that responded were not reliant on drive-by traffic."

Lindsey said there are some businesses downtown that do depend on the drive-by traffic, but a bypass route would be a minor impact to the overall business climate, a point disputed by some and supported by others.

Studies by the Maine DOT were begun in 1999.

Lindsey said with the current economy, construction, if the project is ever approved, is still 10-15 years away.