CoastWise is a training program and resource for anyone with responsibility for planning and building road crossings in tidal wetland areas. Modeled after the statewide Stream Smart program for non-tidal crossings, CoastWise supports coastal Maine communities in building safe road crossings that accommodate the tides, sea level rise, and increasingly powerful storm surge, while fostering a healthy ecosystem.

Housed at the Maine Coastal Program within the new Maine Office of Community Affairs, CoastWise is similar to Stream Smart but is tailored for the added complexity of tidal environments like the bi-directional flow of water, salt vs. fresh water, increased flood risk to low-lying areas, and the presence of fragile ecosystems like salt marshes. This program is here none too soon, as 90% of Maine’s >800 tidal crossings currently restrict tidal flows, and as we deal more often with sea level rise and increasing coastal storms and storm surges.

Undersized tidal crossings can restrict the full natural tidal exchange that happens twice daily. Impaired tidal flow puts the whole system out of sync, and can lead to shrinking salt marshes when tidal flow can’t reach above a restriction, or inundated salt marshes when it can’t drain with receding tides. The result is the loss of valuable habitat for invertebrates like shellfish and clamworms; birds, crabs, and mammals that feed on them; and fish species that use these intertidal areas as nurseries. Species like the Salt Marsh Sparrow lose nest sites to flooding, while invasive species such as Phragmites australis thrive. Tidal restrictions also limit fish and wildlife passage, impeding diadromous species and other estuary-dependent species.

The CoastWise Approach considers all these factors and sea level rise to design the best crossing for the specific factors at a given site. To spread this approach, Maine Audubon worked closely with the CoastWise Steering Committee and other partners to develop and host the introductory workshops sharing the basic principles of CoastWise with municipal staff, engineers, natural resource agencies, and other professionals in 2025. 

For 2026 we will again host two introductory workshops in other parts of the coast, and we will be developing and hosting a 2-day professional-level training as well. Visit the Workshop page and stay tuned for more information on dates and locations!