UNION, Maine — The town manager said Tuesday he will recommend selectmen reject a proposal by the state Transportation Department to install a traffic light at a busy, accident-prone intersection.
Town Manager Jay Feyler said the flashing beacon would be located on state roads yet the Maine Department of Transportation wants the town to be responsible for the maintenance of the light once it is installed.
The Transportation Department wants to install the flashing light on Route 17 at the intersection of Wottons Mill Road and Route 235. That intersection was listed as an area of concern in the draft of the transportation section of Union’s comprehensive plan.
Feyler acknowledged that there have been several accidents at the intersection over the years, mainly involving people driving on Wottons Mill Road heading to Route 17 who do not stop at the stop sign.
The town manager said he does not know how much it would cost to maintain the light each year but that since it is a state road, the state should pay for upkeep.
The Union Board of Selectmen will discuss the matter at its meeting scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 5.
An email message was sent early Tuesday afternoon to MDOT officials but there was no immediate response.
An email sent to the town manager this week from state Transportation Department project manager John Rodrigue explained why the state expects municipalities to maintain lights.
“The MaineDOT does not have the resources or budget to maintain the hundreds of intersections in Maine. The Department has had this policy for many years as we ask for the municipalities to assist with the care of the intersections as it benefits the municipalities users as well as all that utilize it. The MaineDOT has very few remaining intersections that are the responsibility of the Department,” the project manager stated.
The intersection saw an average of 6,600 vehicles pass through on an average day during the latest count in 2010, according to the Transportation Department’s traffic count report.