PARIS — The Maine Department of Transportation (Maine DOT) recently explored potential solutions to improve the safety and functionality of the Market Square intersection, where Routes 117 and 26 converge. The department presented these options during a public hearing held at the Paris Fire Station on September 9.
Matt Drost, the regional transportation planner with Maine DOT, outlined several strategies to address the issues at this notoriously confusing intersection.
Currently, drivers on Route 26 traveling south and those on Route 117 are required to stop, while those traveling north on Route 26 from Paris have the right of way. This setup often leads to confusion, particularly for drivers unfamiliar with the intersection.
“It is gaining notoriety, but also it is confusing,” Drost remarked during the hearing. “There are some improvements that can be made.”
Among the proposed solutions are the installation of a new traffic signal or stop sign for Route 26, or the construction of a single-lane roundabout similar to those in Auburn.
However, the Maine DOT has determined that the cost-benefit ratio for these improvements does not justify funding through their safety budget. The intersection was identified as an “area of concern” back in 2016, but its safety funding needs do not align with the estimated costs.
“The reason nothing was pushed forward from the department is the safety funding that’s available needs to hit a certain cost-benefit ratio,” Drost explained.
According to Drost, the Market Square intersection experiences an average of four crashes per year, predominantly resulting in property damage rather than personal injury.
A traffic signal could potentially reduce this number to 2.8 crashes annually, while a roundabout could lower it further to 1.9.
Despite these reductions, the costs of these upgrades—$400,000 for a signal and $4 million for a roundabout—are deemed too high relative to the safety benefits they would provide.
“This project, any of these alternatives, would not be elevated to the level where Maine DOT could fund it with our safety dollars. It’s just not feasible,” Drost said.
To address the issue, Drost suggested that the Paris Select Board consider directing Town Manager Natalie Andrews to engage with the Maine DOT through its Planning Partnership Initiative.
This initiative would begin with a $130,000 engineering study and analysis, expected to take 12-18 months. The study would assess the intersection and provide recommendations for potential improvements.
“We’d have a better understanding of where we’re going and what we want to do,” Drost noted.
Paris residents have already shown a commitment to addressing the intersection’s issues. During the annual town meeting, they voted to appropriate $150,000 for a Market Square project, which could potentially fund the initial study.
The Planning Partnership Initiative would divide the project’s costs evenly between the town and Maine DOT, but Drost estimated that this process would take an additional six to seven years before any tangible changes could be implemented.
Route 26 is classified as a Highway Corridor 1 priority for Maine DOT, emphasizing the importance of maintaining efficient traffic flow at this intersection.
Drost emphasized the significance of accommodating various types of vehicles, including logging trucks, gas trucks, buses, and fire trucks.
“The inside of the roundabout is only a couple of feet in diameter, with a cobblestone apron that leaves ‘plenty of room,’” he said. “You get a great deal of compliance with people staying in the right lane and going in the right direction.”
In addition to traffic management improvements, any proposed changes would include the addition of crosswalks and enhanced signage and flashing beacons to improve pedestrian safety. Drost assured that businesses in the area would remain open throughout any construction phase.
Historically, the Market Square intersection has been classified as a “high-crash location,” though it was removed from this designation in 2023 due to a decrease in accidents.
The Paris Select Board is scheduled to meet next at the Town Office at 6 p.m. on September 23, where further discussions on the intersection’s future are expected.
