Reducing Route 1 traffic congestion and improving pedestrian safety in Wiscasset are high priorities for the Maine Department of Transportation, according to Gerry Audibert from the MDOT’s Bureau of Systems Planning.

Audibert came to Wiscasset September 26 to ask Wiscasset and Edgecomb selectmen to accept a proposed plan that contained suggestions made at the June 4 Road Safety Audit.

Edgecomb selectman Stuart Smith gave his approval for the portion of the plan that affected Edgecomb. However, Wiscasset Selectman Ed Polewarczyk did not feel he could support the complete list without reviewing changes that had since been to the proposed plan.

Selectman Pam Dunning, chairman of the board, suggested that Audibert prepare an updated list of suggested improvements for the board to review at their next meeting October 2, to which Audibert agreed.

The updated list mentions locations in Wiscasset and Edgecomb and includes both the suggestions made by participants of the safety audit, and those made at the meeting September 26 by officials from both towns.

The list includes items that MDOT will not support; items that MDOT does support; short-term items that will be implemented within the next 12 months;  mid-term items that will done in 2 to 4 years; and long-term items that will not be done within 5 years or longer.

Town Manager Laurie Smith told Audibert the biggest problems are not being addressed are in the Village area. According to Audibert, the next step is to complete the Village Area Traffic Model calibration by October 30, and to conduct multiple tests runs with traffic signals, one way streets, and various pedestrian management strategies.

One suggestion made to improve traffic flow would be to have a pedestrian overpass. Audibert said the only place that could possibly work would be on Railroad Avenue, and he didn’t appear to be too optimistic it would be feasible with the historic village.

The Traffic Model will cover the area from Lee Street and the Bradford Road in Wiscasset to the Railroad tracks, according to Audibert. MDOT is also looking at the Edgecomb intersections because whatever the department does with the intersections it will impact traffic and pedestrians in the Wiscasset Village.

Audibert cautioned the town officials that he certainly did not expect to get all the money for his budget that he was going to ask for, and asked that the selectmen to set the priories in the work they would like to see done first.

Audibert also said any of the suggestions made in the location of Woolwich time line and Flood Avenue may be superseded by the Wiscasset Route 1 Master Plan. That plan is expected to be completed in February 2013.

The Lincoln County Regional Planning Commission along with   MDOT and the Town of Wiscasset are working to develop a Master Plan for Route 1. The plan is to include the commercially developed section of U.S. Route 1 from the Woolwich-Wiscasset town line to the northern intersection of Flood Avenue and Route 1.

Charlotte Boynton can be reached at 844-4632 or cboynton@wiscassetnewspaper.com.