WILTON – An 80-year-old woman was injured Monday morning in a two-vehicle collision that involved a Maine Department of Transportation pickup truck at a road construction site in the intersection of Routes 2 and 4 and Route 156 or Depot Street.
Joan Farrington of Wilton, driving a 2000 Buick LeSabre sedan, was traveling east on Route 156/Depot Street, and attempted to cross Routes 2 and 4 when an MDOT 2010 GMC pickup truck collided just behind the driver’s side door of her sedan.
Chad Huggins, 28, of Waterville, was driving the DOT pickup truck, said Wilton Officer Derek Daley.
Emergency crews were called at 8:14 a.m. Monday.
The impact of the crash pushed the Buick west into the median’s strip road sign, shearing it off. Farrington was transported to Franklin Memorial Hospital by a NorthStar EMS ambulance. Daley said he didn’t know the extent of her injuries.
The intersection has been the scene of numerous collisions over the years and currently is undergoing a major construction project by DOT to improve it. At a selectmen meeting held in March representatives with DOT said 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.
Construction plans include creating separate, designated turning lanes using raised traffic islands 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.
The idea is that the traffic islands will separate lanes of traffic, which MDOT believes will act as a traffic calming mechanism to slow traffic through the intersection.
This morning, several flaggers working at the construction project were directing traffic and it’s unclear who is at fault at the early stage of the investigation, Daley said.
The State Police has taken over the investigation into what happened because a state vehicle is involved in the crash.
Wilton Fire Department personnel assisted at the scene.
Changing the road is not going to change any driver’s behavior. These types of accidents are going to continue to happen, Doesn’t matter who’s at fault.
they need to build a overpass to fix the problem
12,000 vehicles a day. Make it two lane with a 4-way stop everybody stops like the light in front of Wal-Mart, it’s hard to get in a wreck if you’re barely moving. Personally I don’t see why there are so many accidents there, there is good visibility, a 2-way stop. The only excuse I can see for an accident there would be impatience and driver inattention. Neither of which a modified intersection is going to prevent.
its a mess around there. i would stay away if you can.
Glad you’re ok Grammie. And glad that they are working on ways to prevent future accidents at the intersection.
Just a few second earlier and we would be reading a different headline. People Please take the time to look both ways and make sure it is safe to cross the street just as if you where a pedestrian. Make sure you have enough time to get across the intersection before you hit the gas. Thanks God on one was killed in this accident.
A four way stop at this intersection would be a horrible idea. Think about the amount of big rigs driving this road. Rtes 2&4 are better maintained than Rte 156 which is why so many people take 2&4 during the winter. Think about the accidents that would pile up if people had an easier time on 156 during the winter. People go too fast and the big rigs are best on 2&4. There would likely be MORE accidents if you expected them to stop at the bottom, they would never be able to stop while loaded. Headed up the hill, still impossible to expect a big rig to have stopped at the bottom of the hill and make it up, especially in the winter when conditions are already not so great, that’s also asking for MORE accidents. The same could be said for regular vehicles on the roads during the winter. A four way stop is just unrealistic.
I agree with Thomas’ idea for an overpass. I never would have thought of it, but an overpass would allow people going up and down to continue on their way and divert a lot of traffic and accidents while people cross from Steve’s Market to Gould’s and minimize on traffic pulling on to Rtes 2&4.
I am glad you are okay too Joan, and I hope the reconstruction of this intersection prevents any further chaos for us good folk. I am glad that Mort and Hurtless Bstrd Have this situation all figured out, with some really good advice and instructions to follow by. Pay attention and look both ways, even if there are flaggers to wave you thru….?
An overpass with off and on ramps would be a great idea so thru traffic on Rt’s 2&4 would not be interrupted and traffic on Depot & Rt 156 could cross safely. Just an idea.
I agree with this being a very busy intersection. But I wonder how many of you with opinions of what should be done with this intersection have actually sat through the meetings and informational meetings about the changes that are planned to be done. It is no longer up for discussion. The town and state have already drawn up the changes and plans. So you can give your thoughts but nothing is going to change now. It is set in Stone so to speak. I just hope it does get the numbers of accidents down from what they are now.
Im glad that no one was hurt in this accident. Please be alert!