FARMINGTON — The Maine Department of Transportation has taken several steps to improve safety at the intersection of Maple Avenue and High Street, which has a history of accidents.

Solar-powered flashing lights were recently installed above the stop signs on both sides of Maple Avenue at its intersection with High Street. A shrub border was removed from one corner property and replanted at another site. And trees on another corner lot were removed and replanted. 

The MDOT collects data on the number of accidents at intersections and roads to help rate them and determine what improvements the department will fund, Brian Keezer, MDOT project manager, said. 

“The High-Maple intersection came up high on the crash location list,” he said.

The department started planning improvements about six months ago and spent less than $30,000 on the project, Keezer said.

Farmington Public Works Director Denis Castonguay reviewed the project Friday with MDOT engineers. More brush needs to be cut and the stop line coming down from Bailey Hill needs to move to make visibility of traffic on High Street easier, he said.

Part of the problem is that the road width changes in the middle of the intersection from 49½ feet to 66 feet, making the intersection even more hazardous.

The stop signs were replaced with larger, reflective signs, Castonguay said. The blinking red lights start when a vehicle is about 400 feet from the intersection and continues after the vehicle goes through the intersection.

“I think it will help. The larger signs and lights are dramatic,” he said.

MDOT hopes the improvements will help warn motorists and make traffic more visible, Keezer said.

abryant@sunjournal.com

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