MEXICO — The Board of Selectmen on Tuesday unanimously approved a traffic light for the Route 2 side of the new Mexico/Peru bridge.

Town Manager John Madigan said when the public hearing for the bridge project was held last year, one of the concerns was negotiating the left turn off the bridge toward Mexico. That, combined with traffic approaching from nearby Leavitt Street, is another concern for people making that turn.

“And the new bridge will be located closer to the Dixfield line and even closer to Leavitt Street,” Madigan said.

He said the Maine Department of Transportation agreed that the traffic light is warranted and offered to pay the cost of the wiring and installation if the town agreed to pay to power the light and take on future maintenance costs.

Madigan said the monthly electric bill is not that bad. However, when the traffic light near Wal-Mart had a wiring issue, the town incurred a $1,200 maintenance cost.

Board members agreed that the traffic light is necessary.

“It will make it a much safer situation,” Selectman Byron Ouellette said.

Asked when the bridge project would start, Fire Chief Gary Wentzell said he believed it wouldn’t be much before next fall.

In other business, the board voted to begin the process to purchase a Western Star plow truck with a plow and wing and trade in the 1998 truck.

The Highway Department is also in need of a sidewalk plow and a replacement for the 2002 one-ton truck used to plow parking lots.

At the next board meeting, selectmen will look at quotes gathered by Madigan for new and used sidewalk plows, as well as leasing costs.

Madigan said town mechanic Jeff Wade indicated he believes they can keep the one-ton truck working for another two to three years.

There is about $190,000 available in the highway equipment account.

bfarrin@sunmediagroup.net

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