These 2 Locations Have Held the Top 2 Spots for Most Crashes in Maine for 20+ Years

Can anything be done to reduce the number of accidents at these two intersections in Maine? Cony Cirlce and Memorial Circle in Augusta have consistently held the top two spots on the Maine DOT's list of car crashes in Maine for the past 20 years, and by a significant amount.

In 2003, there were 152 crashes at the intersection of Bangor Street and Cony Street at Cony Circle in Augusta and 37 crashes at the intersection of Memorial Circle and Western Avenue, also in Augusta.

When you look at the latest crash data in 2023, you find nothing has changed in 20 years at these rotaries, except that crash rates have increased significantly for Memorial Circle, going from 37 crashes in 2003 to 173 in 2023. Cony Circle is up by 42 crashes to 194 in 2023.

Every year since 2003, these two rotaries have had the highest number of crashes in Maine. The question is, why?

I'm no traffic engineer, but these two rotaries are connected by Augusta's Memorial Bridge that crosses the Kennebec River. Maybe that straight shot from one rotary to the other makes speed a factor when coming into the rotaries? This is just a guess, and I have no experience to back it up.

There's also the human factor of not paying attention when entering a rotary or roundabout. Even worse than that are drivers who do not understand how a rotary works. They fail to yield, fail to signal, and some even stop at the entrance to the rotary with no cars coming, assuming there's some invisible stop sign there.

My best advice is to be sure to drive defensively when you enter these rotaries. Be alert, and be prepared for what other drivers might do so that you can avoid an accident.