Traffic Problems Evolve At New Cross Insurance Center

At a meeting Monday night in Bangor, officials explained why traffic has backed up significantly at the past couple of big events at the new Cross Insurance Center.  They also explained how the "traffic pattern" was set up while during construction of Bangor's new arena.

The majority of the traffic jam develops as motorists leave I-395, with both the eastbound and westbound lanes dumping onto Main Street.  People are immediately hit up with a traffic light at the mouth of Dutton Street, thus causing vehicles to back up all the way back onto I-395.

Dana Wardwell, who is the city's public works director, explained that the traffic pattern was set up for people to use Buck Street as the main entrance to the Cross Insurance Center, and that the biggest reason for the traffic buildup was that people were still trying to use the Dutton Street entrance, something that they had been used to doing for years.

Buck Street was recently constructed to have three lanes, including a "center lane".  Which way traffic flows within the center lane depends on whether it's before or after an event.  Dutton Street has only one lane in, and then two lanes out.

So, the next time you're going to the Cross Insurance Center for a major concert or event, it's suggested that you travel on Main Street from the Downtown area and turn right onto Buck Street.

City officials said they would study the newly created traffic problem further.