Camden Street, in Rockland, is a three-lane highway with three inconsistent and poorly marked lanes. The middle lane is intended for vehicles turning left across oncoming traffic where you must wait your turn. Left turns across oncoming traffic are known as one of the most dangerous maneuvers to make.

Dan Burden (a national road design expert) came to Rockland with a tape measure as part of a three-year study of Camden Street from downtown Rockland to the Rockport line. (Rockland City Hall maintains the Camden Street Study recommendations.) He said there would be plenty of room for sidewalks on both sides, trees on green buffer strips and dedicated bike lanes if the road went on a diet.

If the middle lane was removed, traffic lanes were narrowed just a bit and roundabouts were added at a few intersections, no left turns would be necessary. Just loop around the next roundabout and reverse direction to then take a right turn. Roundabouts are not like the dangerous, confusing, large rotary in Augusta. Those who experience the small roundabouts In Bath at Congress Avenue, in Portland on Brighton Avenue by USM or In Boothbay know the difference.

Rockland now has its first opportunity to construct a roundabout at the intersection of Maverick and Camden streets. Citizens who want a roundabout, sidewalks, and dedicated bike lanes need to inform Rockland City Councilors, Rockland City Manager and folks at the Maine Department of Transportation (MDOT, 16 State House Station, Augusta, Maine 04333-0016)

“Slow and flow” is what small roundabouts are all about. They accommodate large trucks, boat trailers, double-wides, and double-bottoms because they use the extra width of a slight incline around the roundabout’s inner circle.

Some sections of Route 1 could have 8 or 10 feet lanes instead of 14 feet. Wide lanes and straight roads encourage speeding. Lanes on a diet are all about slow and flow. Slow is safe and flow keeps vehicles moving. Roundabouts and two lanes would remove idling time at long, uncoordinated stop-lights, reduce needlessly emitting fumes, pollution, microparticulates, and noise. No racing through green and yellow lights (and sometimes red lights). Roundabouts do not incur additional cost for installation, energy use and maintenance of traffic lights.

Most people expect a sense of safety from crossing a street only during a red light. But with traffic turning right-on-red, even that is not always safe. A roundabout, narrower lanes, sidewalks and dedicated bike lanes are designed for “slow and flow” for everyone. “Slow and flow” is a way of making Camden Street an inviting neighborhood, quite different from vast parking lots. With these improvements, Rockland would see housing, small businesses and offices developed along Camden Street. Imagine how such lively development could add to the tax-paying base and create a welcoming neighborhood.

As unfamiliar with roundabouts as some people are, the cascade of benefits could begin with a road diet and a calming roundabout.

Connie Hayes lives in Rockland