The Maine Department of Transportation has identified the Standish intersection that was the site of a fatal car accident Aug. 20 – Route 25 and Manchester Road/Saco Road – as a high-crash location, and wants to replace the four-way intersection with a rotary.

There have been 27 crashes at the site in the last five years, according to the department. Arthur Ames, 84, of Standish died from injuries he received in an accident there Aug. 20.

A public hearing on the rotary plans will on Thursday, Sept. 15, at 6 p.m. at the Standish Town Hall. Assistant Project Manager Steve Bodge of the DOT said the public can expect to learn more about the department’s plans for the rotary, and the schedule for development and construction. The intersection currently has stop signs on Manchester and Saco roads.

At this point, the department has completed a draft preliminary design report, according to Bodge. Next, it will receive recommendations from the design team and from the general public at the September meeting. The plans will be finalized after the public hearing.

The department plans to put out a request for proposals for the project in 2017, and hopes to complete construction in 2018.

Bodge said roundabouts generally lessen the severity as well as the number of crashes at an intersection, which is why they are favored for highly-trafficked locations around the state.

– Tess Wrobleski