Turning lanes are planned for three of the busiest intersections on Route 1 south of downtown Wiscasset.

On Wednesday evening, Sept. 21, The Maine Department of Transportation held an informational hearing on the project that’s currently in the design phase.

Aurele Gorneau II, an MDOT project manager, told a small audience gathered in the municipal building’s hearing room, construction would begin in the spring of 2018.

The work includes Birch Point and Old Ferry roads and the south end of Old Bath Road. HNTB Corporation of Westbrook is doing the design and engineering work.

Dale A. Mitchell, P.E. HNTB senior project manager, said between 17,000 and 18,000 motorists travel along this stretch of Route 1 every day.

Mitchell said MDOT is trying turning lanes and other improvements to improve traffic flow. The state is hoping to avoid having to put a traffic signal at any of the intersections.

Although all three intersections are heavily used, Mitchell said there had been very few traffic accidents. Of the three, Old Bath Road had the most, three in the last three years.

“Providing turning lanes (was) the simplest thing that can be done to improve traffic flow,” added Mitchell.

Scott Pontau, a resident of Old Bath Road, said he was glad MDOT was making the improvements.

“It’s scary to sit on Route 1 and attempt to make a left turn onto the Old Bath Road,” he said.

Mitchell said the biggest part of the project was making improvements on the northbound lane at Old Ferry Road near Norm’s Used Cars. Norm Sherman, the owner of the car dealership, attended the hearing.

Jeff Hancock of Young’s Point Road said one of the biggest headaches was for commuters attempting to make a left turn onto Route 1 from Old Ferry Road. During the summer, traffic frequently backs up six to eight cars, he said. The same problem exists at Birch Point Road, he added. Hancock felt it might be safer to put in a traffic signal.

Lincoln County Planner Bob Faunce asked MDOT to consider adding a two-way center turning lane. The state added similar turning lanes in town which seem to have worked, he said.

State District 87 Rep. Jeff Hanley said the center turning lane had worked in other communities. Hanley represents Alna, Pittston, Randolph and Wiscasset.

The current plan, Mitchell explained, relied on painted “shadow islands” to guide motorist to the turning lane and keep Route 1’s through-traffic moving. He added his planning team could look into a two-way center turn lane.

Selectmen Judy Flanagan and Ben Rines also attended the hourlong meeting. Last February, Wiscasset selectmen entered into two separate cooperative agreements with MDOT for the proposed road improvements. According to the agreements, the town’s share of the construction costs will be just under $104,000. State and federal highway monies are paying the rest. The estimated cost of the project, including engineering is $405,000.

The town’s share won’t affect property taxes because it will come from $155,977 in impact fees remaining from the Shaw’s project, Town Manager Marian Anderson has said. The impact fees have been carried forward since 2010; the money can only be used for Route 1 improvements, Anderson said.