Money is main obstacle as solution to Meredith traffic woes nears Consensus

[Rusty]

Looking at your sketch it seems like this might work. Have a slow incline to the bridge and then have the bridge arch over the tunnel.

[dpg]

A roundabout there will be a disaster on a Sunday afternoon when you have a constant flow of traffic working through it heading out of Center Harbor. Other people trying to enter the flow will be kept out as their beeped at by cars behind them wishing they would "just go!" Maybe what's there now isn't ideal but the lights at least make some cars stop so others can go. I'm for re-routing traffic totally away from that intersection and giving a second alternative if it's possible. I also take my chances with 25B from time to time. I try to gauge how Meredith will be from the backup at the Red Hil Dari lights. When that's all backed up you know Meredith will be a disaster. The preferred option is to go home Monday at around noon time.

[mcdude]

Laconia Daily Sun

Meredith 3/25 panel opts for series of 3 roundabouts

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Details

Published Date Friday, 07 November 2014 01:25

MEREDITH — The Advisory Committee of local stakeholders working with the New Hampshire Department of Transportation (DOT) to improve the flow of traffic through the center of town yesterday unanimously decided to recommend construction of three roundabouts along the U.S. Route 3/N.H. Route 25 corridor through the center of town.
The roundabouts would be built at the junctions of U.S. Route 3 and Lake Street, U.S. Route 3 and N.H. Route 25 and U.S. Route 25 and Pleasant Street. All three would be single-lane roundabout to minimize the impact on surrounding private properties. However, the critical roundabout at the junction of U.S. Route 3 and N.H. Route 25 would have two right-hand turning lanes to hasten the flow of northbound traffic eastbound toward Center Harbor.
The Advisory Committee, which will report its recommendations to the Board of Selectmen in January, has been meeting each month since March. In the course of studying any number of plans the committee found that those projected to most hasten the flow traffic also had most adverse impact on downtown properties.
Gene McCarthy of MacFarland Johnson, Inc., the project manager, said that the preferred alternative of three roundabouts, with the two turn lanes at U.S. Route 3 and N.H. Route 25, would noticeably improve the flow of eastbound summer traffic, which peaks on Friday nights, and, at the same time, ease congestion arising from southbound traffic on n.H. Route 25, which peaks on Sunday afternoons and evenings. Taken together the three roundabouts will slow traffic through town, enhancing the safety of pedestrians. And the roundabout at Pleasant Street will improve access and egress to the businesses along N.H. Route 25.
Rusty McLear said the plan represents an opportunity to significantly improve the appearance of the center of town. U.S. Route 3 will be divided by a landscaped, tree-lined median eight to twelve feet wide and the roundabouts themselves offer opportunities for plantings.
McCarthy estimated the construction cost of the project, excluding design, engineering and purchase of right-of-way, at approximately $5 million, which closely matched the funds DOT has allocated to it.
John Edgar, Community Development director, stressed that the project should not be delayed or shelved for want of a small amount of funding.
Lou Kahn, a selectmen who chairs the Advisory Committee, said that funding for the project should not be drawn from the property taxpayers of Meredith. "This is a great thing for the feds and the state to do," he remarked.

[tis]

You have got to be kidding me. You talk about a backup of traffic now? We will see!!

[Phantom]

What's with NH & building Roundabouts ?

I just don't get it !


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[tis]

I agree Phantom. I think it is somebody's bright idea which they will be sorry for in a few years.

[PaugusBayFireFighter]

You can say what you want about the Weirs roundabout not being as nice looking as the one further up in Meredith, but it has worked nicely. Other than bike week I haven't seen too much traffic and what traffic there is, moves. Much better than the old intersection.

[ITD]

Most of the traffic problems I see in that area are caused by an endless stream of pedestrians crossing the street from the docks to the gas station and to the falls complex, continually stopping traffic. A round about will do nothing to solve this issue.

[SIKSUKR]

Rotaries definitely work. I was very skeptical of a recent one built in Bedford in front of the new Market Basket that I drive through 4 times a day but it really has worked. My question would be that the same pedestrian problem exists.

[Pine Island Guy]

Originally Posted by SIKSUKR

My question would be that the same pedestian problem exists.

That is the biggest bottleneck with "free flowing traffic"... and the "crossing guards" that are there in the summer cause even more problems as they can't seem to coordinate between the two cross-walks, and don't pay any attention to how much traffic is backed up...

Even a "walk/don't walk" light at the cross-walks might help? At least it would get the pedestrians in a 'group' to cross, rather than the onesy-twosy effect now...

Every Sunday night when we try to get out of town I say... "can't wait to be retired and don't have to drive through this"

-PIG

[Senter Cove Guy]

Originally Posted by ITD

Most of the traffic problems I see in that area are caused by an endless stream of pedestrians crossing the street from the docks to the gas station and to the falls complex, continually stopping traffic. A round about will do nothing to solve this issue.

Couldn't be too expensive.

[Phantom]

Any Town official ever thought of a stylish "Foot Bridge" for crossing?

I think at the Dover St intersection across to the Town boat launch area would be a plus

a hell of a lot cheaper and less disruptive than THREE rotaries !


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[upthesaukee]

Any footbridge like that would have to be ADA accessible and that means having ramps for handicapped folks. That would do away with the quaint footbridge. It would take a bridge with ramps, probably with switchbacks to get up and over the road. Bottom of bridge would have to be 14 or 15 feet above the road to allow the passage of semi trucks. Maybe even higher for the occasional oversized load. How about a monorail from both the Lago area and the Church Landing area, with a switch in the middle allowing the monorail to terminate at Mills Falls. Woo Hoo...what a ride!

[Resident 2B]

Has the DOT or the advisory committee considered the impact of pedestrians on the overall summer traffic situation? It seems to me that they have only considered motor vehicles traffic. I agree with ITD.

In my opinion, any improvement or solution that does not include some way to get the pedestrians across the street with significantly less disruption of the motor vehicle traffic flow should be rejected.

R2B

Originally Posted by ITD

Most of the traffic problems I see in that area are caused by an endless stream of pedestrians crossing the street from the docks to the gas station and to the falls complex, continually stopping traffic. A round about will do nothing to solve this issue.