The Maine Department of Transportation has reclassified Killick Pond Road as a state aid road, which means the entire roadway is open to all traffic, including tractor trailer trucks.
Killick Pond Road has been a local road since its inception; the change became effective Nov. 11.
Part of it, the west end near the Deer Pond section of town, has been open to truck traffic since Poland Spring opened its bottling plant on the road in the late 1990s. But in recent times, the east end portion near Route 35 has been posted by the town as being closed to trucks with more than three axles, which meant tractor trailer trucks weren’t supposed to use it.
Now, with the state assuming ownership, trucks are not restricted, and some residents worry that will present problems for truckers trying to make a difficult turn from Route 35 onto Killick Pond Road and present safety hazards for cars encountering them.
“It’s not safe,” said resident Donna Berry.
DOT Deputy Commissioner John Nass and other DOT representatives told residents and select board members at a meeting on Tuesday morning the department must take a broader view that speaks to the entire area.
Still, the DOT pledged to conduct a safety audit of the intersection and some others in the municipality, like the intersection of Route 35 and Moderation Street, which has its own traffic difficulties, DOT personnel noted.
As well, Sen. Justin Chenette has submitted two bills to address the matter — one that would reverse the DOT’s taking of the road, and the other would mandate the Department of Transportation seek approval from officials within a municipality prior to the state assuming responsibility for a local road. According to the proposed legislation, a public meeting at least 30 days prior to the date of the takeover would be required.
Chenette said the bills must first pass muster of the Legislative Council, which decides what bills will be heard each session. The first date for that to happen has passed, and the next comes on Nov. 30. If the Legislative Council approves, the bills would go through the Legislative process starting in January.
Chenette said the current method used by DOT for road takeovers is flawed, though he acknowledged usually municipalities are happy when the state moves to take over a road, because it is one less they’ll have to pay to maintain.
Chenette said it was his understanding that folks in the community didn’t know of the Killick Pond Road takeover until very late in tthe process.
“This could happen to any community,” he said.
Nass told residents Tuesday that the DOT often looks at roads within the system and reclassifies them.
“It was done on our own initiative,” Nass said, in response to questions from Rep. Don Marean on how the change came about.
DOT officials acknowledged opening up the entire length of Killick Pond Road gives truckers — whether headed for Poland Spring or elsewhere — an alternative to roads currently in use that have issues with bad corners, poor site lines, built-up areas and schools.
The east end of Killick Pond Road was dirt for many years, until it was paved in 2005. Folks around at the time say the road was not built to withstand heavy truck traffic.
David McCubrey, a former selectman, lives on the west end but said he has safety concerns about the east end intersection with Route 35. He said he is concerned it will be used by many as a shortcut.
Selectman Mike Seely said he didn’t recall the matter being brought to the municipality for discussion.
Nass said there was some communication and that DOT had attempted to set up a meeting with the select board but that was unsuccessful. Even if the meeting had taken place, he said, based on the criteria found as a result of a reclassification review, he didn’t think the decision would have changed.
“We don’t seek approval of the town in these decisions,” said Nass. “It’s relatively routine.”
Nass said the DOT’s communication with the town could have been better.
Following the meeting, Marean said he believes the DOT is heading in the right direction, citing the nearby school the trucks drive by now and some safety issues. Still, he said, he believes the DOT needs to fix the intersection issue at Route 35 and Killick Pond Road.
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