RUMFORD – People attending Thursday night’s selectmen’s meeting learned that neither the state nor town can legally stop big-rig traffic on South Rumford Road.
But, representatives of the town, police and Maine Department of Transportation agreed to do what they can regarding signs and speeding issues, as well as road and shoulder conditions.
David McKivergan, of 933 South Rumford Road, spoke at length about the truck traffic on the road, signs and speeding problems. He was one of the few members of the public who shared concerns.
“I’ve lived here 18 years, and there’s been a tremendous growth in heavy truck traffic,” he said. “The road is not suitable for 18-, 20-, and 24-wheel trucks that are carrying all sorts of materials.”
He said he has witnessed near-collisions between vehicles on the road and people entering it from Concord Pond Road who fail to see the stop sign because it’s hidden in foliage.
McKivergan also addressed South Rumford Road conditions, and he said Rumford police should be addressing what he said are growing problems of speeding and people running the stop sign.
Rumford Detective Lt. Stacy Carter said police had dedicated patrolmen to the area when concerns were raised. In the last week, he said, 502 vehicles were monitored during the day with radar.
“To the untrained eye, people appear to be going faster than they are,” he said. “But only a handful were going over the speed limit by a significant amount. They were summoned.”
Carter said police also monitored the Concord Pond Road stop sign.
“Yes, people did go through the stop sign and yes, the sign is too far from the corner and covered by brush. That issue needs to be addressed,” he said.
He said the department is very busy handling criminal complaints, but would try to do increased traffic enforcement on South Rumford Road.
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