Crews perform upgrades

13 years ago

Crews perform upgrades

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Staff photo/Kathy McCarty

    LIGHT MAINTENANCE — Tim Patnaud, an electrician with AD Electric Inc., of Sabattus, worked at the intersection of Main and State streets recently on the housing for a camera system that helps control the traffic lights on Main Street in Presque Isle. On hand to assist with traffic while the lights were being worked on was Sgt. Joey Seeley of the Presque Isle Police Department.

By Kathy McCarty
Staff Writer

    PRESQUE ISLE — Heavy equipment has been a common sight on Main Street recently, as two different crews perform light work through the heart of town, with old utility poles being replaced with new ones and cameras connected to traffic lights undergoing an upgrade.
    Individuals traveling along Main Street of late may have noticed several Maine Public Service Company bucket trucks and crews between the Catholic Church and the University of Maine at Presque Isle, working to replace about two dozen utility poles.
    “The project includes replacement and relocation of poles along South Main Street. About 3,500 feet of conductor wire is being strung and crews are setting poles back farther from the road,” said Virginia Joles, director of communications, board relations and economic development at MPS.
    According to Joles, the upgrade will “enhance snow removal.”
    “The upgrade provides more access for snow removal. We’re replacing 25 poles between the church and UMPI — a few of which were either in the center of the sidewalk or on the edge closer to the road,” said Joles, indicating the utility poles will now be set back more, allowing city crews better access to clear snow from the sidewalks, parking spaces and the side of Main Street.
    Work was also performed recently to upgrade a camera system that controls traffic lights in the community. Upgrades were made due to a condensation issue.
    “This dates back to the original project when we went through and redid the intersection (light systems) in town and added optic and wireless technology,” said Alan Deditch, president, Highway Tech Signal Equipment of Sabattus.
    Deditch said his company had contracted with AD Electric Inc., also of Sabattus, to do the latest work.
    “The system is based on sensors, which uses a video stream to detect traffic. The former units had moisture penetration. What we did was install a different housing on the cameras, at no cost to the city. The work was covered under warranty,” said Deditch.
    Deditch said it’s not unusual for a manufacturer to cover such repairs, when a defect is noted.
    “If a manufacturer feels there’s a design flaw, they’re usually good at rectifying the problem,” he said.
    According to Deditch, the system will use the same technology as before, just with a different housing.
    “It’s an actuated system. It detects vehicles. During the day, the system works in a coordinated manner. Basically the side streets are sacrificed to speed Main Street traffic along,” said Deditch. “In theory, it’s designed so if you hit one green light, you should be able to make it through most if not the full length of Main Street.”
    Deditch said contrary to rumors, the cameras are not designed to catch motorists for traffic violations.
    “The units are designed to aid the flow of traffic — keep traffic moving on Main Street. When traffic is light — say, the middle of the night — and a motorist is coming off a side street, the sensor will detect them and switch the light faster, provided there’s no traffic on Main,” said Deditch.
    Motorists may have also noticed a few glitches with traffic lights recently — namely the light at the intersection of Main Street and Chapman Road, and the five-way intersection at Parsons Street. The Presque Isle Police Department received at least five reports of the lights malfunctioning at those intersections, but a cause has not been determined.
    Police advise motorists to use caution, should they notice a light isn’t working properly and to report such cases as they arise.