OGUNQUIT - Selectmen from Wells, Ogunquit and York met with officials from the Maine Turnpike Authority at the Dunaway Center on Jan. 23 to discuss possible site locations for the new York Toll Plaza.
However, selectmen and members from the audience were disappointed when they learned that state officials had no intention of disclosing any specific sites.
Instead, officials revealed results of a study taken last August that was used to determine the percentage of motorists that were intentionally seeking alternative routes to avoid the $1.75 toll fee at the York plaza. This study was a survey that was given to motorists that were pulled off the road in four different locations throughout York County.
The survey sites were located on Route 1 in York and Wells, Route 236 in Eliot and also on Route 4 in Berwick. At each location, motorists were asked a series of questions that determined where their trip had begun, where they were heading and how often they traveled to that destination. The survey also directly asked motorists if they had intentionally diverted off the interstate to avoid the toll plaza.
According to survey results, the rate of the traffic that diverted from the interstate to avoid the toll ranged between 4.2 and 4.9 percent throughout the various locations.
Paul Godfrey, a traffic engineer with HNTB Corporation, who presented the results, said these numbers were only slightly higher than what was expected.
Some of the Wells selectmen challenged the accuracy of the survey results, claiming the survey did not include commercial vehicles and was also taken on a rainy day in August when Route 1 was bogged with traffic.
"It's a good thing you had the police there," said Wells Selectman Chris Chase. "I saw one woman that looked so mad I thought she was going to pull you through the window of her car. You made these people so angry by pulling them off the road when they had been stuck in heavy traffic that they probably lied to you!"
Officials also presented reasons why they believe the York Toll Plaza needs to be improved.
Dale Mitchell, chief engineer from HNTB, said there are several safety issues surrounding the current location of the plaza. Mitchell argued that the southbound approach to the plaza doesn't allow traffic enough time to slow down and make the appropriate lane choice because it is located on a sharp downhill curve.
"Toll plazas should be located on a straight stretch," said Mitchell.
Another problem that Mitchell pointed out with the current plaza was its close proximity to the Chases' Pond Bridge, which is part of the interchange. According to Mitchell, the bridge, which is approximately 800 feet from the plaza, should be at least 3,500 feet away. It blocks the line of sight to the toll plaza and adds to the problem, said Mitchell.
There were many options that were presented regarding the future of the York Toll Plaza, including doing nothing at all, completing an infrastructure upgrade with no new capacity, upgrading the existing plaza by either adding more conventional toll booths and/or more high-speed tolls, also known as EZ Pass lanes, or creating a new plaza with high-speed tolling.
"As part of the research, the Maine Turnpike Authority is staying on top of the new toll collection technologies across the country," said Mitchell. "One of the toll collection technologies that is rising to the top in a lot of toll agencies is high-speed tolling."
Replacing the York Toll Plaza with high-speed tolling was the option that made the most technical sense, said Mitchell; however, just where they plan on putting that plaza has yet to be revealed.
"We started out with 16 locations," said Maine Turnpike Authority Public Affairs Manager Dan Paradis. "It's fair to say that our engineers and planners have identified between four and six that would fit the criteria."
According to Paradis, there will be another local meeting at the end of February to disclose a smaller number of possible sites for the new plaza. The only thing Paradis would commit to regarding the possible locations was the new site for the plaza would most likely be located in York or Ogunquit.
