Meredith Traffic

[Downeast]

Thru traffic on Main in Meredith needs to SLOW DOWN, specifically in vicinity of the USPS.

The freight trains running through these congested areas need to chill out and drift through until passages are clear and wider.

As far as the crosswalk issues on 3, this will most likely take time for re-eval and adjustments, however the formentioned needs speed control attention yesterday.

[Wifi-1]

Originally Posted by Downeast

Thru traffic on Main in Meredith needs to SLOW DOWN, specifically in vicinity of the USPS.

The freight trains running through these congested areas need to chill out and drift through until passages are clear and wider.

As far as the crosswalk issues on 3, this will most likely take time for re-eval and adjustments, however the formentioned needs speed control attention yesterday.

Yep, people trying to beat out the HAWK. Time for the famous Meredith radar traps

[garysanfran]

When I moved to California in the '70's, you could make a right turn on a red light. I had never seen this before. CA was the only state allowing this then, I think.

I brought the idea "home" (New Hampshire & Massachusetts) and people were extraordinarily critical of such a thing. They envisioned all sorts of calamity. A red light meant "STOP". Don't complicate things.

When I drove cross-country in April, I made right turns at red lights in every state I went through and never thought twice as to whether it was legal or not. It appears to be generally accepted and allowed now everywhere, I assume.

Not sure how this pertains to the subject of the thread...I guess, although I think evolution is a slow "change" process, getting accustomed to those "hawk" signals is not going to take hold nationwide...Maybe not even locally. Sometimes bad ideas die right where they were born.

[TheTimeTraveler]

Originally Posted by garysanfran

When I moved to California in the '70's, you could make a right turn on a red light. I had never seen this before. CA was the only state allowing this then, I think.

I brought the idea "home" (New Hampshire & Massachusetts) and people were extraordinarily critical of such a thing. They envisioned all sorts of calamity. A red light meant "STOP". Don't complicate things.

When I drove cross-country in April, I made right turns at red lights in every state I went through and never thought twice as to whether it was legal or not. It appears to be generally accepted and allowed now everywhere, I assume.

Not sure how this pertains to the subject of the thread...I guess, although I think evolution is a slow "change" process, getting accustomed to those "hawk" signals is not going to take hold nationwide...Maybe not even locally. Sometimes bad ideas die right where they were born.

Right turn on Red is allowed in all 50 States. I believe Massachusetts was the last state to allow this back sometime in the 1980's.

Additionally (and unknown to most Mass drivers) you can take a left turn on a red light when you have two intersecting one way streets.

[tummyman]

I had written and asked the Meredith News and Laconia Daily Sun to do an article on the lights issues. I also wrote to all the members of the BOS and asked readers of the blog to do the same.

In today's (8/30) LDS, there is an excellent article on the situation. Everyone should read it.....

https://www.laconiadailysun.com/news...6e34ab2c0.html

[joey2665]

Originally Posted by tummyman

I had written and asked the Meredith News and Laconia Daily Sun to do an article on the lights issues. I also wrote to all the members of the BOS and asked readers of the blog to do the same.

In today's (8/30) LDS, there is an excellent article on the situation. Everyone should read it.....

https://www.laconiadailysun.com/news...6e34ab2c0.html

Informative article but I do not see a resolution just more observation. I just do not understand it’s so easy to fix. Change the signal to a traditional green yellow and red and you’ll be done.


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[garysanfran]

Starting with "observation" and then requesting more info on Fed. issues for requirements seems to be a good start. Solution seems to be steering toward green, yellow, red.

I love "small town" activism. Gets stuff done. In San Francisco, my home base, getting someone to respond to anything is almost impossible. A neighbor recently had her car broken into. Called SFPD. Three days later the SFPD showed up to "take a report".

[hilltopper]

Wiki has a pretty decent write-up on the HAWK Traffic Signal. This is the statement in the beginning that I don't fully understand but it may help explain the lack of a solution (IF a solution, other than patience, is actually needed):

Where standard traffic signal 'warrants' prevent the installation of standard three-color traffic signals, the HAWK beacon provides an alternative.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HAWK_beacon

[TheProfessor]

BYPASS.

Most/many/all are missing the solution.

A bypass around the lights in Meredith. To take/remove all of the through traffic.

Go from 104 to at least the top of the hill past the high school/schools.

Will not, of course, solve any pedestrian lights issues. But will provide much less traffic.

[hilltopper]

Biggd … Big $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$!!!!!!.
TheProfessor … Wetlands and big $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$!!!!!!.

[fatlazyless]

Posting a directional sign that says Meredith Scenic Detour with a directional arrow at the intersection of Winona Rd and Rt 104 to point the way would be a help. Add a few more similar signs along the detour and it would be good to go!

Signs, signs, everywhere a sign, we need some Meredith Scenic Detour arrow signs to point the way.

Ha ha ha .... will never happen ..... if anything, Winona Rd will be made a one way road, going the wrong way, to keep any detour traffic ..... away. Maybe a Winona Rd toll gate so's traffic can pay a toll to take the Meredith Scenic Detour!

[TheProfessor]

Originally Posted by hilltopper

Biggd … Big $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$!!!!!!.
TheProfessor … Wetlands and big $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$!!!!!!.

The authorities are exempt from all of that.

The/A bypass is the only real long term solution.

[joey2665]

Originally Posted by TheProfessor

The authorities are exempt from all of that.

The/A bypass is the only real long term solution.

I disagree I think this is complicating simplicity.


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[MAXUM]

LOL it is rather comical in that the town wants to attract people and tourists but has no clue how to handle them when they come. What was done on Rt3\25 was nothing other than rearranging the chess pieces on the same board which did nothing to IMHO improve traffic flow, in fact, it basically was all cosmetic except for those dumb HAWK signals that made the situation worse.

Thank goodness for 8 months out of the year it's not a big deal to get through town. After this weekend should be a breeze again till Memorial Day next year.

[tbonies]

Originally Posted by TheProfessor

BYPASS.

Most/many/all are missing the solution.

A bypass around the lights in Meredith. To take/remove all of the through traffic.

Go from 104 to at least the top of the hill past the high school/schools.

Will not, of course, solve any pedestrian lights issues. But will provide much less traffic.

This makes sense. But they should require a $5 toll for using the bypass for any car with an out of state tag coming from Moultonborough, since they complain about everything. Just call it a Whiner Tax.


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[tummyman]

And watch out for that right hand turning lane at LAGO heading to Rt25. It is a RED STOPLIGHT.....not a "right turn on red" intersection. They need to post a sign that says "no turns on red". If you make the turn now on a red, you risk a ticket. Beware.....

[jbolty]

Here's the problem the way I see it. Everyone; tourists, locals or delivery trucks who are coming or going to Moultonboro, Ossipee, North Conway or anywhere in between and need to reach I93 have to go through the lights in Meredith so there is a constant stream of traffic. Add to that people who have never been here before, maybe towing a boat, on vacation and driving slow anyway and it all piles up.

Next, we are all conditioned to be aware of pedestrians and all over the place there are those yellow signs in the middle of the street saying to yield to pedestrians or else and people walking expect the right of way and the law is on their side.

If people were like robots maybe the hawk signal would work but because of the built in awareness of the law and general yankee manners people tend to stop as soon as someone gets close to the edge of the road; that is not going to change. Meantime the peds might not cross despite being waved at because the traffic going the other way isn't stopping. Finally they run across and are half way to getting an ice cream cone at dockside when the crossing light goes red for nothing. Meanwhile traffic is backed up to Moulton's Farm.

The various solutions, in no order:

• Full stop light at the current crossing location. I can still see cars waving people across even under a green though.
  
• Full stop light further up at Lake street. Same problems but at least cars could turn left out of Lake St as well as be able to make a left into the dockside parking.
  
• Move the road closer to the lake and the parking lot to the other side which might reduce the amount of people crossing the street.
  
• Synch the hawk light so it only allows crossing when the left at 25 is red.
  
• Pedestrian bridge or tunnel.

I have been beating the drum for a bridge for years and still think it's really the only option that would make a difference. I could envision a big wood timber structure like a covered bridge that could also have a place to sit and watch the lake; decorative and functional.

[Biggd]

Originally Posted by joey2665

Informative article but I do not see a resolution just more observation. I just do not understand it’s so easy to fix. Change the signal to a traditional green yellow and red and you’ll be done.


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Your solution is too easy. It has to be studied 1000 times first before changes can be made.
Personally I think they should have built a bridge and it would have solved multiple problems, no traffic stop and no oversized trucks. They could have even built a platform at the top for a great view of the bay.

[TheTimeTraveler]

Originally Posted by joey2665

Informative article but I do not see a resolution just more observation. I just do not understand it’s so easy to fix. Change the signal to a traditional green yellow and red and you’ll be done.


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This is an interesting article....

The Town of Meredith used Federal Money to do this project, so they have to follow the federal guidelines and rules.

Simple solution would be for the Town to reimburse the Federal Government and then the Town could alter the signal set up as it sees fit according to NH State Guidelines.

Of course all this is easier said than done......

[Sue Doe-Nym]

Originally Posted by TheTimeTraveler

This is an interesting article....

The Town of Meredith used Federal Money to do this project, so they have to follow the federal guidelines and rules.

Simple solution would be for the Town to reimburse the Federal Government and then the Town could alter the signal set up as it sees fit according to NH State Guidelines.

Of course all this is easier said than done......

According to one of the selectmen I talked to state money was used,not federal.