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MDOT to improve troubled intersection this summer

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The MDOT's proposal to improve the Route 2 & 4 and Route 156 intersection. The green marks raised islands, while the beige are islands flush with the pavement. The yellow markers are intersection shoulders, and the black arrows show directional arrows for the turning lanes.
The MDOT’s proposal to improve the Route 2 & 4 and Route 156 intersection. The green marks raised islands, while the beige are islands flush with the pavement. The yellow markers are intersection shoulders, and the black arrows show directional arrows for the turning lanes.

WILTON – Construction to improve the intersection of Routes 156 and 2 and 4 will begin in July, Maine Department of Transportation representatives told the Selectboard Tuesday evening. The goal is to make the intersection, which has seen eight, serious collisions in the past 3 years, safer for the approximately 12,000 vehicles that use it daily.

MDOT last addressed the issue publicly in October 2013, at a meeting attended by roughly 40 residents and town officials. MDOT officials presented four proposals that ranged from an overpass to a roundabout at that meeting, with those in attendance quickly zeroing in on an option to create “protected lanes” though the installation of traffic islands.

Plans presented by MDOT project manager Rhobe Moulton show traffic islands creating separate, designated turning lanes for westbound traffic from Farmington to turn either left or right onto Route 156. Eastbound traffic from Jay/Dixfield would have a separate, designated lane to turn left toward the Wilton downtown. Turning lanes would generally be lengthened away from the intersection.

Traffic islands will be installed to separate traffic coming out of the downtown-side of Route 156 and the paved shoulders would be widened at three of the four corners of the intersection. However, Moulton noted, each separated lane would be slightly narrowed through the process, which MDOT believes will act as a traffic calming mechanism.

Additional signage in relation to the intersecting Whistle Stop Trail will be added. Flashing beacons above the intersection have already been installed.

“We believe overall, that this design will make the intersection safer,” Moulton said.

Work on the project will begin in July and is expected to be complete by the end of the construction season.

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13 Comments

  1. I thought one of the problems was with the traffic needing to cross or turn onto Rts 2&4 from Depot Street. Can anyone help me see how this will help those drivers, other than that Rts. 2&4 traffic will be a little slower?

  2. Adherence to the 40 mph speed limit through this section of 2&4 may help as well. Travelling up or down the hill on the west side of this intersection is often sometimes frightening because of the speeders.

  3. This is a good start but that intersection really need a slower speed limit, and traffic lights. it also needs some serious enforcement of the speed. People don’t follow the rules anymore. very few see themselves as a whole and continue to think that their needs out weigh the laws and the needs of others. It is time to force them to behave. It always seems to be the innocent driver’s car that take the worst hit. I am so tired of the selfish actions of the majority of the driving population. Slow the heck down!

  4. My boyfriend almost died at this intersection. The speed limit should be reduced especially coming down that hill. Lights probably would be a bad idea for this? But this is a good start for fixing this dangerous intersection.

  5. Speed limits are effective only when people actually obey them. Traffic signals would be a recipe for disaster with Rte 2/4 carrying heavy trucks ubable to stop coming off the hill. The only effective solution would cost money so it won’t happen – an overpass/underpass. There would be mass head explosions in the legislature and total apoplexy in the Blaine House. These guys pass all sorts of unfunded laws, but that’s as far as it goes. Think of the cold case unit – a couple of mil and not even considered so murderers get away with it – but they authorized it, just won’t pay for it.

    Yeah yeah yeah – I don’t understand. yada yada yada.

  6. It look’s to me that getting from 156 to depot or vise vercer look’s harder to cross ! more to watch for !!!!! LOOK’S like a waste of tax payer’s money once again ! hopefully it turn’s out better then what they did on 133 by Al’s tire ! they just made it faster and harder to get out of the side road’s . But never the less they got to make it SAFER !!!!!!

  7. I travel this stretch twice a day and frequently have big trucks on my rear bumper
    while travelling down the hill in the morning and big trucks on my rear bumper
    while travelling through the intersection heading up the hill late afternoon.
    I assume it’s easier to make the hill if they have a running start at 55 to 65 MPH
    but that is very dangerous to the overall safety of other drivers !!!!!
    I have also had someone pull out from the Rick’s market side of the intersection directly in my path as I was travelling through the intersection to head up the hill and the vehicle in front of me was making a turn toward Rick’s market.That vevicle was using the turning lane on right side prior to heading up the hill which allows uphill traffic to travel straight through uphill to the left of their right turning vehicle.
    I assume the person crossing the intersection from Rick’s market side to 156 toward Beans Corner may think that the vehicle travelling behind the turning vehicle has to slow while that vehicle makes it’s turn allowing them time to
    Scoot across the intersection. I have had thi happen 3 times !!!! Maybe a sign saying WATCH FOR THRU TRAFFIC or the like would be beneficial.
    Also, two telephone poles severely block drivers vision on Rick’s market side of intersection .

  8. Am I seeing this correctly? Instead of have a straight and a turning lane in front of Rick’s Market there is going to be just one lane? I don’t see how that’s really going to help. Like the other comments say, big trucks need to make a run for that hill and having to slow down, and heaven forbid, have to stop it’s certainly not going to be safe. It will be interesting to see how this all works out. Does anyone feel the lane changes in front of Big Apple are helping?
    Just curious.

  9. It would be interesting to run a history of the accidents at this intersection. I would dare say, that most of them are the result of a vehicle pulling out onto RT 2. There is no change to the intersection, that can prevent poor decisions, by bad drivers. Everyone gets an equal choice of making life’s daily decisions. Seldom do I see the flash of law enforcement lights along Rt. 2 from Wilton to Farmington.

    Some serious fines may help bad drivers decide to slow down.

    Oh, yeah, I forgot to add, in my opinion, this is a waste of tax payers dollars.

  10. I’d like to see some of those big flashing yellow lights halfway up the hill with a sign that says dangerous intersection ahead. Also, lower the speed limit coming down the hill. I’ve seen one like that on Route 2 north of us and it works. It got my attention.

  11. you also have to watch for car’s pulling out of gould’s !!! that should be a one way in and a one way out !!! that place needs to be revamped as well !!!

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