Maine Turnpike Authority officials will focus for the next month on studying whether a more modern toll plaza can be rebuilt at its existing location at mile marker 7 in York.

Maine Turnpike Authority officials met Thursday afternoon with a committee of York residents, selectmen, town staff and state representatives to discuss updates with the project.

The turnpike authority wants to replace the existing 39-year-old toll plaza, which is just north of the York interchange. The current plaza is not motorist-friendly and cannot accommodate new technology, like highway speed toll collection.

In March, the turnpike authority announced four sites under consideration for a more modern, $35 million facility. All are in York, north of the current plaza, and all would result in the loss of at least one York resident’s home.

The announcement generated strong opposition among York residents, town officials and others.

Turnpike officials initially intended to select a preferred site this month. Now, the turnpike authority's board of directors will hear a report from the MTA's engineers in June about whether the plaza can be rebuilt at its current location. No decisions will be made until at least mid-summer, said Dan Paradee, spokesman with the turnpike authority.

Engineers have already studied the viability of re-building at the current site but will look again at the request of the directors, Paradee said.