BLUE HILL – Selectmen are looking into a state funding program that could help improve the intersections at each end of Beech Hill Road and possibly ease residents’ concerns about planned town improvements on that road.

The intersection improvements could include a redesign of the corner where the road meets Route 177 at the end of Union Street, and a round-about at the other end on Route 15 near Tradewinds Market.

The town plans to make improvements to the road itself this summer, but because the Beech Hill Road intersects those two state roads, the town could qualify for state funding for improvements to those intersections.

The road has deteriorated, according to town Road Commissioner Michael Astbury. It needs ditching and new culverts, and needs to have trees cut back out of the right-of-way. In addition, Astbury said Friday, the town plans to pave the shoulders of the road, increasing the paved area from 21 feet to 28 feet, adding four feet of paved area on each side of the road.

Residents have raised concerns that the project, especially the added paving, will encourage motorists to speed on what is primarily a residential road. In response to those concerns, Astbury has been in touch with officials at Maine Department of Transportation, who indicated the funding might be available to do work on the intersection.

In a recent e-mail, DOT’s Bruce Mattson supported Astbury’s suggestion that reconfiguring the intersection at Route 177 be done so that Beech Hill Road meets Route 177 at a right angle, similar to the changes the DOT made at the intersection of the Hinckley Ridge Road and Route 15.

As it is currently laid out, Route 177 curves to the left and heads down into town, and traffic heading south has a straight shot onto Beech Hill Road, often without slowing down. The benefit of reconfiguring the corner is that it slows vehicles down before they get on the road.

“The idea is that they have to slow down to make the turn,” Astbury said. “They’re probably not going to get back up to speed on that residential road.”

Mattson raised the idea of a roundabout as an alternative to installing a traffic light at the other end of the road where it meets Route 15. Some residents have raised concerns about the intersection where there have been several accidents, and have pressed the town and DOT to make changes. A blinking light was installed in an effort to slow traffic, but some still want a full-stop traffic light installed.

According to Mattson’s e-mail, the roundabout is not designed like the traffic circles in Augusta or rotaries in Massachusetts. It is, he said, a smaller and safer design which has had some success in other parts of the country. Mattson cited data that indicated the modern roundabout reduces crashes by about 47 percent and lowers injuries.

Selectmen on Friday expressed interest in the program, which, if the town was approved for funding, would pay for two-thirds of the improvements at the intersections. Selectman John Bannister said they would be willing to meet with DOT representatives to discuss the intersections and the program if Astbury could set up such a meeting.

Although the town’s project will be finished this summer, the state funding would not be available until the 2008 fiscal year.