Do
you want the bad news, or the bad news? DOT, MTA, Gray talk intersection
By Elizabeth Prata
Gray--Department of Transportation, Maine Turnpike
Authority, and Town of Gray officials met last Monday
to discuss ways to improve what is considered by many
to be Maine's worst intersection. Located in Gray
Village, five state routes converge where the Turnpike
empties and there is only about 300 feet in which
to do it all.
In March, over 14,000 vehicles emptied at Gray's Exit
63. That number peaks in July, typically the year's
busiest month. Last July, almost 17,000 vehicles exited
at the Gray interchange. The Turnpike traffic is so
heavy at peak times that it backs up onto the exit
ramp and onto to Turnpike itself.
Right: Traffic Engineer Randy Dunton explains the
traffic modeling results, shown on the projected screen,
to Town and Turnpike officials at a meeting Monday.
Officials had gathered to discuss ways to improve
the Gray intersection. The Monument: Elizabeth Prata
photo
All those vehicles, and the many more that arrive
in Gray from the other state routes, make for a challenging
situation at peak tourist season each year and at
peak commuter times every day.
The Department of Transportation is building a bypass
that is designed to take the through-traffic out of
Gray's Village and onto a high-speed, limited stop
throughway that bypasses Gray Village. Construction
will begin in 2006 but pre-construction work is being
initiated now. Completion is expected in 2006-2007.
Meanwhile, the officials gathered Monday in Stimson
Hall to determine what they could do to tweak the
intersection now. At a previous meeting, the DOT was
requested to create modeling that would illustrate
what how the motoring public would be impacted if
Brown Street was made one-way, if the intersection
was widened, if two lanes were installed for turning
onto Rt. 26, and if the lights were timed more synchronistically.
The DOT did not have good news. They said that according
to their computer models, that with current traffic
loads the intersection would remain at a level of
service F, of Failed, no matter what other manipulations
were applied. The only scenario to improve the intersection
was a double turning lane. Though it smoothed traffic
through the lights faster it worsened the back-ups
at other roads where the red lights stopped it.
"The ideas were good, but once the data was applied,
it did not work out," said Traffic Engineer Randy
Dunton. "There is too much going on in too short
a time. We are not sure how to solve the problem.
You have two signals in too short a space." Mr.
Dunton said that the only way to improve that intersection
was to raze it all and start over again, not a realistic
possibility. "There really is not much good news."
Town Manager Mitchell A. Berkowitz said that the offshoot
of a failed and gridlocked intersection is that people
seek alternate ways to get around. "The situation
at the intersection is causing a diversion of traffic
onto roads that are not built for it," Mr. Berkowitz
said.
Councilor Richard Hall asked about the feasibility
of putting in a roundabout where Greenleaf Street
(Rt. 115) and Brown Street circle around the brick
building at One Gray Center. University of Maine engineer
Per Garder has conducted research that indicates that
modern-day roundabouts, which are distinct from rotaries,
are designed with specific geometric angles that allow
traffic to enter at 15-25 miles per hour instead of
the 35 miles per hour or more of rotaries. They also
help diminish likelihood of accidents.
Roundabouts would be an effective way to slow traffic
down where rural highways enter developed areas, Professor
Garder's research shows.
The DOT and MTA officials were not excited about the
idea of a roundabout, namely because of cost. They
are much more expensive to install and maintain than
intersections, Mr. Dunton said. The trucks also have
a very hard time negotiating them, Mr. Dunton continued.
Once the subject of trucks was raised, it was noted
that the truck traffic avoiding the costly barrier
toll at New Gloucester is causing Gray to handle more
than its share of heavy loads, adding to the gridlock
problem, Mr. Berkowitz said. "Fifty percent of
traffic is destined to go through the intersection
at Gray," he said.
Mr. Conrad Welzel of the Maine Turnpike Authority
said that it might seem like the trucks are diverting
but they really are not. He said that "There
is a minimal amount of vehicular traffic that does
not use the Turnpike. Everyone thinks there is a lot
but the amount diverting is arguably a lot less than
50%. The issue is, it costs to travel and tolls are
a part of that." Mr. Welzel explained that the
new electronic tolling system will help, because "People
have an aversion to putting their hand in their pocket
and digging for money to hand over, but the electronic
tolls help soften that feeling," he said.
The DOT said that their main concern is the stopped
traffic on the Turnpike at peak times. They have a
system to help that. It involves synchronizing the
lights to turn green when the traffic backs up beyond
the ramp. "The problem with Gray is that we would
need to synchronize all three lights, which would
back traffic up at the other intersection points."
It is called a 'pre-emption loop.' The DOT asked to
try the simultaneous signaling to help reduce the
turnpike backups.
