Drivers passing through the intersection of Falmouth’s Route 88 and Johnson Road — an area of longtime concern over speeding cars and pedestrian safety — will be urged to slow down and pay attention over the next three months.

Falmouth Public Works installed measures to slow traffic at the intersection this week. The project is part of a study with the Maine Department of Transportation about the effectiveness of temporary plastic bollards, pavement paint, raised rubber speed tables and speed feedback signage to reduce vehicle speed and increase alertness at the intersection.

The traffic calming measures serve as visual cues reminding motorists to reduce their speed. Prior to their installation, the town collected three months of vehicle speed data at the location, which will be compared to data collected over the next three months to determine whether the traffic calming efforts are successful. The results of the study will determine how the town invests in changes to the intersection.

The intersection has been a site of concern for pedestrian safety for over a decade. In addition to pedestrians dodging speeding cars, 19 vehicle crashes have occurred at the intersection since 2015, according to MDOT data.

In 2011, the town built sidewalks and a crosswalk leading to Underwood Park, which is about 200 yards down Route 88 from the intersection with Johnson Road. In 2019 and 2020, the town held two public forums about problems with the intersection. In addition to the nearby park and residential homes, the historic Town Landing Market sits at the intersection.

Joanne Chessie is general manager of markets for Big Tree Hospitality, which owns Town Landing Market. She said that particularly in the summer months, traffic at the intersection outside the store is hectic. 

“That intersection is something else,” said Chessie.

“I’m honestly surprised there hasn’t been any issues in the couple years that I’ve been here. There’s been a couple little fender benders, but nothing more critical than that,” she said. 

With families with young children, dog walkers and bike riders all making their way along Route 88 to Town Landing Market, the high volume of fast cars makes people nervous, said Chessie. 

“I think that having that intersection slowed down a little bit would make a lot of sense just for the safety of pedestrians,” she said.

In 2021, the Town Council authorized the use of $200,000 in tax increment financing funds for the installation of two pedestrian crossings on Route 88 at Johnson and Depot roads. Both intersections had been designated as “high-collision locations” by the Maine Department of Transportation.

Despite these changes, residents, Town Council and staff believed more could be done, according to the town website. Last October, Falmouth submitted a proposal to Maine DOT for the traffic demonstration study currently underway. The town will solicit public feedback about the traffic calming measures in a forthcoming survey to residents.