Oversized Loads through Gray
Should wide loads be allowed through Gray Corner during peak traffic times?
By Elizabeth Prata and Janet Neal

Gray--In December 2002 and in January 2004, Gray Town Manager Mitchell A. Berkowitz wrote a letter to the Supervisor of Highway regarding the Town of Gray's concerns with wide load permits issued to companies that may be traveling through the Town of Gray. The Monument: Prata photo (file)

In his letter, Berkowitz requested that the peak commuter traffic times are between 7:30 and 8:30 Mondays through Fridays. He noted that the wide loads constrict the town lanes on Rt. 26 down to one land, exacerbating the traffic back-ups. Sometimes traffic can back up two miles. Traffic also gets backed up onto the North Raymond Road, since passage onto Rt. 26 is constricted due to the heavy commuter volume at peak times.

Berkowitz requested voluntary compliance with limiting permit issuance during peak travel times, noting that it is to the industry's advantage also if their trucks could move smoothly and in a timely fashion through the intersection.

In addition, State Representative Susan Austin wrote a letter to the Maine Department of Transportation Commissioner David Cole regarding the Town of Gray's request to prohibit oversized loads. Cole responded that there may be conflicting points of view as to the impact that such a prohibition might have on the overall traffic pattern and the manufactured housing industry. State Senator Richard Bennett expressed concern for the possible negative impact on the fragile economic status of the manufactured housing business.

Commissioner Cole stated in his reply to Austin that the DOT is well aware of the congestion issues that face Gray Village each day, during both the morning and afternoon commute, and that it was logical to infer that an oversize load would have a negative effect on this heavy traffic flow. At the same time however, he stated that the Department is conscious of the need to provide the safest system possible for all highway users.

Because of these conflicting concerns by both interests, the Traffic Engineering Division is collecting data on the actual number of oversize loads in the traffic stream. They will examine the latest information on crash data throughout the Route 26 corridor, with an emphasis on identifying any oversize loads involvement in crashes. The Bureau of Motor Vehicles is supplying the number of oversize permits issued in recent months, in order to examine the potential impacts of these vehicles in the traffic stream.

Berkowitz said that there may be better indicators for the traffic problems than focusing on crashes, as the DOT intends to do. "Cars are traveling at minimum speeds, there may be a fender-bender here and there, but certainly not many crashes," Berkowitz said.

Gathering such data would be anemic at best due to the extremely slow pace in which traffic moves during those periods. Berkowitz urged the DOT to use other benchmarks, including the time it takes the traffic to progress from the MTA bridge, through the intersection to any points.

"To me that speaks more to the issue of commerce and it supports the very reasoning behind our By pass as well as a temporary measure to limit wide loads at that time. A transport driver making $20.00 per hour plus full fringe benefits will sit in traffic at the time we talk about for about 10-15 minutes. If they came earlier or later, their travel time is less than two minutes. It helps their business as well," Berkowitz said.

This data collection, which has not started yet but has been scheduled, will be for the purpose of quantifying the potential positive impact that such a restriction might have on the congestion issue while simultaneously assuring that there would not be a significant negative impact to the efficient movement of these loads on the manufactured housing industry. The Traffic Engineering Division should have this data available in March, at which time the DOT will discuss its findings with the Town of Gray and the industry.