What do you think of the fairly new traffic lights at Woolwich’s Nequasset Road-Route 1 intersection? As a motorist, I have been liking the much easier entry onto or across Route 1. And the lights do not stay red long enough for Route 1 commuters to be significantly held up. If so little time makes someone late, hopefully the lights will always be green for them; or better yet, and more reliably, leave earlier, since the nearby construction work can add to travel time also.

I was surprised to read in Phil Di Vece’s story this week updating readers on Maine Department of Transportation’s bridge project, that those lights at that intersection are temporary, while the project is underway. I have never rooted for a road construction project to take a long time, but I will be sorry to see those lights go.

The flashing one historically there was good, but not enough to keep some motorists, like me, from languishing at Nequasset Road, or George Wright Road instead, for a break in traffic to enter north or south or to cross Route 1 to the other side of Nequasset Road. I have messages in to MDOT for word on any of its longer term plans for the intersection’s traffic setup.

I will probably like the answer(s), because MDOT has been doing this a long time, does its research, and has every reason to do the state’s best for towns and motorists, even though its decisions, like other government decisions, rightly and routinely face public scrutiny.

Week’s positive parting thought: Good job, Wiscasset schools, starting the new year on a number of positive notes as the schools and other employers continue to try to fill jobs and do their best filling the gaps in the meantime.