WESTBROOK – A decision to forge ahead with a plan that could lead to a roundabout at the intersection of Route 302 and Duck Pond and Hardy roads has not abated safety concerns.

On Monday, the City Council voted 5-2 to allow the Maine Department of Transportation to proceed with preliminary engineering and design for a roundabout at the Westbrook intersection, but the two dissenting votes came from councilors who are concerned that a roundabout may not be the safest, or most popular, solution.

Spearheaded by City Councilor Mike Sanphy, residents in Ward 5 have been invited to two neighborhood meetings with state transportation officials about the issue. According to Sanphy, the majority of neighboring residents support a traffic signal at the location, but state officials have twice ruled that they will only support a roundabout at the intersection.

Making his case for not supporting the state decision Monday, Sanphy said that Route 302 is one of the busiest roads in the state, and he is concerned that a roundabout at this location is not the safest alternative. Sanphy cited a recent rollover in a Gorham roundabout of a truck carrying fuel, which required the cleanup of thousands of gallons.

“I’m concerned that a roundabout there, in a residential neighborhood, on an elevated piece of land is more of a danger than it is a help,” he said, adding that the issue deserves another public hearing for residents and state officials.

On Tuesday, Sanphy said he had already received four phone calls regarding the council’s decision and concern about the roundabout plan.

The Maine Department of Transportation has final say on all traffic lights in the state, and has repeatedly said that the intersection does not meet the criteria required by the department.

City Administrator Jerre Bryant’s memo to councilors this week said that while the city “may prefer an alternative approach,” the first concern should be safety.

“Given the safety concerns and the fact that MDOT has the authority over the approval and installation of all traffic control devices … the administration supports approval of this item so we can move forward for the safety of the traveling public in Westbrook,” he said.

Councilor Michael Foley said that the city should put their faith in state officials, who study this type of intersection regularly, and use data to make decisions.

“Traffic engineers have told us that this will improve the safety of this intersection, and I’m confident in their advice,” he said. “I hope that my colleagues will support the state and the initiative to at least improve that intersection, even though it isn’t exactly what we want.”

Councilor John O’Hara, who provided the second vote to deny the request, responded with a question to his fellow councilors.

“Why would we take something if it’s not exactly what we want?” he said. “I urge my fellow councilors not to accept this, and to send a letter back to the state saying the only thing we will accept is a traffic light.”

City Engineer Eric Dudley, who said he once spent time interning at the Maine Department of Transportation, said “data doesn’t lie,” and that roundabouts provide a safer alternative for the intersection, especially for commuters coming onto Route 302 from the less-traveled Duck Pond or Hardy roads.

“If you look at the accident history of roundabouts in the United States, or Europe as well, you’ll find that they operate much more safely than traffic signals,” he said.

Regarding the Maine Department of Transportation, Dudley said, “they take this seriously, and they want whatever is safest.” He added that roundabouts are safer because they still provide “mobility,” whereas drivers become frustrated with traffic lights and run through them, causing less safety.

Dave Gowen, who lives on Duck Pond Road only an eighth of a mile from the intersection, said Wednesday that residents’ concerns are “nothing new,” and that many are “not sold” on the roundabout.

Gowen, who is also the master of the Highland Lake Grange, said that while he’s not upset the council supported the state study, the roundabout plan brings up concerns for the high speed of travel on Route 302, combined with the close proximity of the existing buildings to the intersection.

“It’s a tough problem to solve, but I’m really concerned that they’re just going to say, ‘This should be a roundabout, and this is what we’re going to do,’” he said.

He added that due to the traffic that the intersection sees, the state may need a large roundabout, which would also affect the aesthetics of the neighborhood. He said that the intersection is different from those in Gorham, which has five roundabouts.

“It’s not an urban area, but it’s sort of a little urban area, and it would be like squeezing a roundabout in one of the bigger intersections downtown,” Gowen said. “I just want to make sure that in the study they do, they give everything a fair shot, because once this thing goes in, it’s never going away.”

Following the meeting this week, Sanphy said he was disappointed in the council’s decision, stating the council would be endangering the lives of neighboring residents by putting the roundabout there.

“The number of oil, gasoline and propane trucks that travel Route 302 should have made the council realize that one of these trucks overturning and spilling its cargo could create an incident with a significant loss of life,” he said. “I guess nobody has the courage to fight DOT.”