BOWDOINHAM — The Bowdoinham taxpayers may be on the hook to replace the town’s only traffic light that was removed in late August after an accident with a tractor-trailer truck.

The light is at the intersection of Routes 24 and 125.

Interim Town Manager Nicole Briand told selectmen recently that it could cost upwards of $15,000 to replace the light. Last week, she said the insurance company for the truck that hit the wires twice denied the town’s claim for the replacement of the traffic light.

“We’ll be fighting with the insurance company,” Briand said.

Last week, Briand said she is working with the town attorney to see who might be responsible for replacing the damaged traffic light. As of Wednesday, she had no updates.

Briand said said residents have expressed frustration that it hasn’t been reinstalled yet.

Maine Department of Transportation Paul Merrill said the traffic light has hung at the intersection on downtown Bowdoinham since at least the late 1980s. The light flashes red for traffic on Route 125 and yellow for traffic on Route 24.

“We believe it was originally put up to keep people from running through the intersection,” Merrill said. “It’s difficult to see the stop sign because of the curve in the road.”

There have only been two crashes at the intersection in the past five years, according to the Maine Department of Transportation. Neither crash resulted in serious injuries. Route 24 sees an average daily use of 2,510 vehicles and Route 125 sees an average daily use of 1,870 vehicles.

Merrill said the traffic light should go back up and said the town is responsible for maintaining the light.

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