Townsquare Media Bangor
Townsquare Media Bangor
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The intersection that has been a mess since the day it opened is going to get a redo. First on the docket they are looking to allow a left-hand turn off the Stillwater exit off Interstate 95.  Talk about you overdue over thought about decisions.

According to the BDN, city engineer John Theriault hopes to have the change made by the holidays. No promises, though.

Why is it that way in the first place you ask? The original prohibition of a left turn there was answer to concerns by the residents on the east side in the "tree street" neighborhoods along Stillwater. They were worried about the spike in traffic they would see from drivers cutting through those streets to get downtown. In order to move forward with the project, the city agreed to ban left turns.

But since money talks, the addition of Hobby Lobby and Buffalo Wild Wings left of the exit prompted the discussion about lifting the ban as the number of businesses and amount of traffic along Stillwater Avenue grew during the past decade.

The study also urged the city to improve sidewalk connections in the area. The city also likely will close the furthest right lane in the northbound lanes immediately after the intersection. That will become a shoulder, rather than a lane used by mall traffic.

Theriault said the signal cycle likely wouldn’t need to change. When the lights are green for the three lanes leaving the exit ramp no other traffic moves through the intersection, so cars will be clear to take a left.

Now if they’d just let us turn right on red there too, life would be complete.

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