MADAWASKA, Maine — Madawaska selectmen approved multiple traffic changes at a June 20 meeting after Police Chief Jamie Pelletier presented the results of a five-week study.
The most significant traffic change will take place at the intersection of 19th Avenue and Dionne Street, which will now be a four-way stop. It was formerly just a two-way stop, where traffic on Dionne Street needed to stop, but traffic on 19th Avenue could continue without stopping.
Over the past two to three decades, Pelletier said the area has seen significant residential development. This, as a result, has led to increased traffic.
From May 7 to June 13, police placed a radar sign at the intersection to record traffic data. Pelletier said it records the volume of traffic and their speeds.
Over those five weeks, he said they recorded 13,541 vehicles going through the intersection. The average speed was 22 miles per hour, with a few going over 45 miles per hour. But because this is a high volume of traffic for a relatively small community, Pelletier suggested making the intersection a four-way stop.
The board voted in favor of the four-way intersection.
Pelletier then brought up the intersection of First Avenue and Riverview Street, which currently has a yield sign. He said this is normally not an issue, because there is a steep incline leading up to it, but vehicles in the winter need to build up speed in order to get through.
“The problem is people are just kind of coming up the street, not really obeying the yield sign, and just kind of flying through there,” he said.
The chief suggested placing a new yield sign at the intersection with an LED light, powered by a solar panel.
Another possible remedy would be to place a stop sign on Riverview, allowing traffic to yield more to the vehicles coming up First Avenue.
The board ultimately voted to go add the stop sign on Riverview, which they said should effectively address the issue.
