After experiencing 10 crashes over a three-year period, seven of which involved crossing movements, the Maine Department of Transportation (MaineDOT) identified the four-way intersection of Longwoods Road/Middle Road/Woods Road in Falmouth, Maine, as a high crash location. Because it does not allow for crossing movements and would greatly reduce the quantity and severity of the accidents at this location, a roundabout was selected as the best solution. VHB was selected to prepare preliminary and final design plans for this location. Although a roundabout had been previously chosen for safety reasons, the VHB team also investigated a fully signalized intersection to compare traffic capacity. The roundabout was again selected as the best approach, as it would result in approximately 50 percent decrease of the queue in the northbound direction, which has the heaviest PM traffic of all the approaches.
VHB coordinated with the Town of Falmouth, local utilities, and abutting property owners throughout the project development process. Coordination with the Town included landscaping, coordinating with neighboring road improvement projects, bike signing, light fixture design, and other issues. In addition to the geometric changes required for the roundabout, VHB assisted the Town with the replacement of approximately 900 linear feet of sewer line within the project limits.
