BIDDEFORD — The intersection at Main, Lincoln and Adams streets in Biddeford will soon change from a two- to four-way stop. The change is required by the state, according to city officials.

On Oct. 20, the City Council approved adding the stop signs to Main Street — stop signs have been in place at Lincoln and Adams  streets, crossing Main Street, for many years.

Because of increased development near the intersection, Director of Planning and Economic Development Mathew Eddy said the Maine Department of Transportation required a traffic impact study and the findings called for adding a traffic improvement at the intersection.

“It’s a requirement of the traffic improvement permit that was required for (redevelopment at) Riverdam,” Eddy said when the issue came before the council for an initial vote on Oct 6. “So if (the stop signs) didn’t get approved we’d have to go back to DOT and probably work out the occupancy issues associated with Riverdam.”

Although some on the council favored a traffic light instead of additional stop signs, that wasn’t warranted by the DOT, Eddy said. He said Police Chief Roger Beaupre recommended placing the additional stop signs at the intersection as a way to slow traffic in the area where new residential units and other development is taking place as buildings in the mill district undergo renovations.

Council President John McCurry was not in favor of the move and voted against it on Oct. 20.

“If we’re going to be doing any of this stuff (traffic changes), especially in the downtown with all the new stuff that’s going on, we need to be looking long term and not just at that little piece at that particular moment,” said McCurry. “I think it’s  a poor idea putting a four-way stop sign in there and I would much rather have had a light.”

Because the intersection includes one of the main roads of the city, the state gets to weigh in, City Manager James Bennett said on Oct. 6. If the state doesn’t think a traffic light is warranted, the city doesn’t have the authority to add one. In addition, he said, even if the council voted against the stop sign ordinance the signs would still go in as the council was only voting on enforcement, not on whether they should be installed.

Also on Oct. 6, Mayor Alan Casavant said there has been discussion for decades on making that intersection safer. He said adding the stop signs will make the area more “pedestrian friendly.”

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