12/03/2008
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from the Morning Sentinel
AUGUSTA -- Motorists confused by the new layout of stripes and arrows guiding traffic around the redesigned Cony Circle better get used to it soon: A similar layout could be coming to Memorial Circle next summer.
"Hopefully, we can improve the crash rates on Memorial Circle as well -- that's the second highest accident rate site in the state," Maine Department of Transportation engineer Steve Landry told Augusta city councilors Monday.
Most years, the Maine intersection with the highest number of accidents has been Cony Circle. Just across the Kennebec River, Memorial Circle often ranks No. 2 in that infamous rating.
The redesigned Cony Circle now has signs, stripes and arrows indicating which lane motorists should get in -- and stay in -- to get into the rotary and back out toward their destinations. Previously, there were only stripes marking the two lanes around the circle.
Cony Circle also was redesigned to try to slow traffic and reduce the number of accidents.
Landry acknowledged that drivers, especially local motorists used to Cony Circle's old configuration, have some relearning to do.
"It's very different from how people drove the rotary before," Landry said. "We have a lot of bad habits out there to break. Some people have been driving the rotary the same way for 30 or 40 years."
Both rotaries were initially built in 1948 as part of the construction of Memorial Bridge.
Landry noted a key rule for motorists -- both for the old Cony Circle and the new -- is they shouldn't change lanes once they are in the rotary.
"Once you're in a lane, you're pretty much hooked into where you're going to go," Landry said. "Hopefully the signage we're putting in will put people in the right lane.
"Once you're in the circle, you should never have to change lanes."
Motorists approaching a rotary should yield to motorists already in them, as required by law. Once in the rotary, motorists should yield to other drivers on their left.
The Cony Circle project cost about $2.1 million. Hannaford picked up more than $1.1 million of the cost. The city and state each paid about half the remainder, in part with funds collected as impact fees from developers of other projects, such as the new CVS and Augusta Crossing.
City Councilor Edward Coffin, former owner of an engineering firm, said he liked the new intersection of Stone Street, the circle and Memorial Drive.
"Before, you had to yield (coming off Memorial Drive onto Stone Street) it was hard to even turn your head back that far to see," Coffin said. "I like how that's designed now -- and I'm an old designer."
The Cony Circle project won't be complete until next spring, Landry said, when the temporary layer of pavement put down for the winter will be removed, and new, permanent pavement and striping will be put down.
Keith Edwards -- 621-5647
kedwards@centralmaine.com
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