MDOT hires designer for Washington Street signal; Auburn presses for interim speed controls and enforcement

Assistant City Manager Dute told the Auburn City Council on June 16 that the Maine Department of Transportation has contracted a designer and held a kickoff meeting to develop plans for a traffic signal at the Washington Street and Beech Hill Road (Danville Corner) intersection.

The signal design is now in a survey phase, Dute said, and the overall timeline from kickoff to installation is about 18 months to two years. “They signed the contract with the contractor to design and implement this. Today was the kickoff meeting,” Dute said.

Why it matters: the intersection has been designated by Maine DOT as a high-crash location, with a critical rate factor of 2.79 and eight accidents over a three-year period—criteria that qualified it for DOT attention, according to Dute. City officials said the intersection also poses a higher probability of serious injury or fatality than many other local locations.

City staff described a two-track approach: pursue the long-term traffic signal through MDOT while pressing for interim steps MDOT must approve. “Number 1, we've asked them to consider a reduction in the speed as you approach this intersection,” Dute said. The city also seeks permission to deploy its electronic warning signs and to add permanent signing ahead of the signal installation.

Auburn Police and state law-enforcement involvement: Dute said the Auburn Police Department has stepped up enforcement in the corridor—about 248 traffic stops in the last six months—and staff expect the state police to consider enforcement as part of their work plan. Councilor Weitzel asked whether the Maine State Police would increase patrols to support Auburn PD; Dute said the state “recognizes that” and that the matter falls to a separate state police function.

Earlier demonstration project and city decision: staff reviewed a prior plan for a temporary “demonstration” traffic project but informed MDOT they would not proceed with the demonstration because DOT had identified the site for a traffic signal and included it in its work plan. Dute said the city notified MDOT that it would not move forward with the demonstration project so the DOT signal design could proceed.

Timeline and costs: Dute said the DOT contractor is in the survey stage, which will determine right-of-way needs, and estimated the process through design, bidding and contracting could take 18 months to two years before installation. Councilors and staff noted an earlier demonstration project estimate of roughly $200,000 or more, which influenced the decision to prioritize the DOT-led signal project.

Spillover and corridor effects: councilors raised concerns about traffic shifting to nearby intersections and corridors, including East Hardscrabble Road, Route 4 and the Turnpike interchanges. Dute and council members emphasized that changing one intersection requires monitoring nearby corridors to identify whether motorists alter routes and create new hazards. “Whenever you make a change to an intersection, you have to then start immediately evaluating what is that doing to the other intersections and other arterials around that location,” Dute said.

What’s next: city staff will continue coordinating with MDOT on speed-limit changes, signing and design details. Dute said staff had asked MDOT to consider a speed reduction on the approach, and they were awaiting MDOT’s corridor definition and approval. The city will also continue enforcement efforts in the corridor and will monitor impacts at adjacent intersections.

Ending: No formal council vote was required; the council heard the update and asked staff to continue coordination with MDOT and to report back as design, signing and enforcement plans are refined.