BIDDEFORD — A local dentist is asking motorists on Route 111 in Biddeford to please be mindful of ducks crossing the street.

Last week, during what The Associated Press dubbed the “world’s cutest traffic jam,” a mother duck guiding 45 ducklings across the five lanes of Route 111 caused motorists to come to a standstill.

Route 111 has long been a place common for duck passing, with ducks crossing from a pond in front of Southern Maine Health Care to a wetland area near All Smiles Dental Clinic.

In 2015, the dentist office asked the city for a duck crossing sign to warn people of potential fowl walking across the road, after a duck was struck in 2014 and had to be rehabilitated at the Center for Wildlife in Cape Neddick.

As an alternative path between the pond and wetlands, Public Works staff cleared out the culvert underneath the street and a tiny pond area on the side of the dental clinic, and to further dissuade ducks from crossing the road, fencing was put up along the street on the Route 111 side, said Public Works Director Jeff Demers.

“The city has been great,” said Ginger Garramore, office manager for the dental clinic.

However, despite all these efforts, the ducks often prefer to cross the street rather than swim underneath through the culvert.

while last week’s traffic jam made national news, including the “Today” show, all crossings since haven’t been so adorable.

Last Thursday, Garramore said, a few days after the “world’s cutest traffic jam” was witnessed on Route 111, some ducklings died in that very same spot after being run over by a car.

Office staff were saddened to see the dead ducklings, she said, and noted that she doesn’t want children who come to the office to have to witness such events.

“There have been quite a few times when we’ve run out and stopped traffic,” said Garramore.

Demers said city staff will to meet with a game warden for advice about how to make the area safer for the ducks.

Garramore said she’s reached out to multiple organizations in an effort to determine if relocating the ducks is a feasible option.

Mark Latti, spokesman for the Maine Department of Inland Wildlife and Fisheries, said in an email that there are both state and federal laws regarding the capture and relocation of migratory waterfowl.

Capturing such a large group of ducks would be extremely difficult if not impossible, hesaid, and those that were not captured and left behind would most likely not survive.

“The good news is that the ducklings are likely very close to the flight stage, if they are not already there, and once they are able to fly, the issue of them needing to cross the road will disappear,” said Latti.

— Staff Writer Liz Gotthelf can be reached at 780-9015 or by email at egotthelf@journaltribune.com.