BANGOR, Maine — City officials have entered a “cooperative agreement” with the Maine Department of Transportation to study whether the left-turn ban onto Stillwater Avenue from the Interstate 95 Exit 186 offramp should be lifted.
That ban doesn’t stop everyone.
Some motorists, especially during quieter travel hours, turn left despite signs and lights telling them to go straight or turn right. Many more go straight through the intersection, entering the Kohl’s development entrance before making a U-turn, returning to the intersection and turning right.
The traffic study will quantify how often that happens, measure traffic flow to see whether allowing the left turn makes more sense and to determine how it might affect traffic flow in the surrounding area.
When the $4.5 million ramp opened 13 years ago, it was meant to alleviate heavy traffic congestion around the Hogan Road interchange, which at the time provided the only Interstate access to the mall area.
However, residents in the east-side neighborhoods along Stillwater Avenue closer to town raised concerns that the access would drastically increase traffic in the area.
As a compromise, the city agreed to ban left-hand turns, preventing traffic that exited Interstate 95 from turning toward the “tree streets,” at least not easily.
Last year, the City Council decided to revive discussion about the turn. The city sent out surveys in sewer bills asking residents what they thought of allowing the left-hand turn. A vast majority of those who responded — more than 80 percent — favored the change.
“The results of that survey are pushing us to continue looking at this,” John Theriault, city engineer, said Tuesday.
The Maine Department of Transportation approved federal and state funds of up to $15,000 to do the study. The city will cover half the cost, up to $7,500, the federal government will kick in 40 percent, or up to $6,000, and the state will cover the remainder.
The public will have several opportunities to learn about the report and share their thoughts about the left-hand-turn proposal.
The process will start later this month, when city staff and Maine Department of Transportation officials start reviewing what data they have available. The first public input session will be scheduled sometime in January. Between February and March, officials will gather traffic data and develop recommendations based on that information. Another public feedback session will be held in April.
A final report on the feasibility of the left-hand turn will be issued early next summer.
Theriault said this will be an involved process because of the federal and state involvement that comes whenever dealing with interstate infrastructure changes.
Follow Nick McCrea on Twitter @nmccrea213.