Project Summary

With heavy commuter volumes and poor geometry, the intersection of Bucknam Road with the I-295 NB Ramps has developed significant safety issues including off ramp queueing and wrong-way entry. Efficient operation of this intersection is a priority for the Town, as it provides access to the highway for residents on the east side of I-295 and shoppers along the commercial US Route 1 corridor. 

Our team was selected by MaineDOT, in partnership with an adjacent Hoyle Tanner bridge project, to design intersection improvements and reconstruction of 1,000 linear feet of Bucknam Road through the Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP). Design efforts included alignment and pavement layout, coordinated traffic signal design for three intersections, closed drainage analysis and design, traffic control planning, cost estimating, and bid specifications. Intersection layout revisions, including median islands to discourage wrong-way travel; video detction pre-emption to reduce ramp queues, and emergency vehicle preemption for the nearby fire-station were also incorporated.  

As the Department’s intent was to package this project with the adjacent Bucknam Road and Johnson Road bridge improvements (which were already underway), our team assisted in delivering bid documents in just six months from Notice to Proceed to Advertisement, which is anticipated to save significant cost in mobilization and traffic control operations. Construction is anticipated to begin in the Summer of 2022.