Look for lights at the intersection of routes 1 and 27 in Wiscasset around the end of September, Maine Department of Transportation staff said. Poles needed for the installation have yet to arrive, but should be on their way mid-September, project manager Aurele Gorneau said Friday.

Last spring, a size change from the poles’ original design led officials to project installation during the latter part of July. But the poles have been on order longer than expected, Gorneau explained.

Plans still call for the lights to be set in flashing mode first, yellow for north and southbound Route 1 and red for motorists entering from Route 27, Gorneau and MDOT engineer Gerry Audibert said in new phone interviews Sept. 1 and 2.

That will give everyone a chance to get used to seeing lights there, and knowing to watch for them as they approach the intersection, Audibert said Sept. 1. The lights will likely be fully operational with yellow, green and red before the end of October, he and Gorneau said.

The project is not about improving the flow of Route 1 traffic; it will slow it down a little, according to Audibert. One of the project’s goals is to help Route 27 traffic enter Route 1. That can be especially challenging for those turning left onto northbound Route 1, Audibert said.

The lights will give Route 27 motorists a turn, aiding safety around the intersection, he said. In addition, the system will remove confusion over whether northbound or southbound Route 1 has the right of way to enter Route 27; and it will work with the new sidewalks and crosswalks that were also part of this year’s project, to aid in pedestrian safety, he said.

The system should take about three days to install, Gorneau said.