3-car crash year’s first on notorious Route 111

BIDDEFORD – A notorious stretch of highway in southern Maine has recorded its first significant accident of the year.

The three-car crash occurred Wednesday on the 15-mile stretch of Route 111 between Arundel and Alfred.

Eli Vigue, 67, of Alfred had slowed to turn onto Howitt Road when he was rear-ended by Dorothy Bougie, 73, of Alfred. The impact sent Vigue’s car across the road, where it was hit by an oncoming car driven by Larry Roy, 41, of Lyman.

Vigue and Bougie were treated at the scene by rescue workers.

Law enforcement and highway officials have been working to figure out why there are so many accidents on such a short stretch of highway. There were eight deaths and 85 reported accidents last year.

Representatives of the state police, Sheriff’s Department and highway department will hold a series of meetings in towns along Route 111 to find solutions to the dangerous stretch of highway.

The first meetings will be next Tuesday in Arundel, Lyman and Alfred. Another meeting in Biddeford will be held the next day.

“Everything’s on the table,” said state police Lt. Ted Short. “We have to sit down and take a realistic look at what’s happening.”

Some of the options are posting signs urging drivers to keep their headlights on during the day to increase visibility to oncoming traffic, increasing the length of passing lanes and lowering the 55 mph speed limit.

But the real key to decreasing accidents is raising public awareness about the dangers, said Short and Lt. Gary Fecteau of the York County Sheriff’s Department.

Most of the accidents on Route 111, they said, are caused by driver inattentiveness and impatience on a road that has seen steady increases in its traffic flow over the years.

“People are frustrated,” Short said. “At some point somebody feels they need to go faster than the flow of traffic, they make a bad pass or somebody tries to rush across the intersection.”

Both state and county police increased patrols after a New Year’s Eve crash killed John Gerry of Alfred.

Police say Christopher Lyons of Biddeford was drunk when he hit Gerry’s car while traveling on Route 111 in Lyman. Lyons pleaded innocent this week to charges including manslaughter, drunken driving and operating after revocation.

Fecteau said York County Sheriff Phil Cote’s educational campaign on the road and increased patrols have already made a difference.

“I think it’s working very well,” Fecteau said of his department’s efforts. “Accidents are down. Fortunately there’s been no snow flying around, but it appears speeding and accidents are down.”