Keene Committee Backs School Street Speed Review, Keeps Central Square One-Lane Plan

KEENE, N.H. (MyKeeneNow) A proposed 25-miles-per-hour speed limit on School Street, property easements for upcoming infrastructure work and the traffic pattern around Central Square were among the issues discussed by Keene officials during Wednesday’s Municipal Services, Facilities and Infrastructure Committee meeting.

The City Council committee voted unanimously to recommend additional School Street safety measures and continued monitoring, while members voted 4–1 to retain the existing plan for a single traffic lane along the north side of Central Square.

The meeting also included updates on downtown construction, including water service interruptions, upcoming utility work and efforts to improve communication with affected businesses and property owners.

The committee spent considerable time discussing whether the planned traffic configuration around Central Square should be changed to accommodate two 11-foot lanes instead of the approved single-lane design.

Councilor Randy Filiault requested the review, arguing that two lanes could reduce congestion, improve traffic flow and make it easier for customers to access downtown businesses. Several residents also raised concerns about potential bottlenecks and the impact of construction-related traffic changes on local businesses.

Others supported keeping the single-lane configuration, pointing to pedestrian safety and the importance of managing vehicle speeds in the busy downtown area.

Public Works Director Don Lussier explained that the design accounts for vehicles approaching the square from multiple directions and needing to merge near a proposed raised crosswalk. With less than 100 feet available in some locations for drivers to position themselves, he said, a single-file crossing with yield controls would provide a more manageable traffic pattern before vehicles separate toward their destinations.

Committee members also discussed the challenges created when vehicles back out of downtown parking spaces, pedestrian access to the Common and whether two lanes would improve circulation or introduce additional safety concerns.

Lussier noted that the configuration could be adjusted through pavement markings if the one-lane arrangement does not work as intended.

After weighing the competing concerns, the committee voted 4–1 to recommend that the City Council retain the existing one-lane plan rather than reconsider the approved configuration. The vote does not make the final decision on the matter, which may receive further consideration by the full council.

Traffic and speed data collected on School Street showed that average vehicle speeds remained relatively low, even as traffic volume increased during the downtown construction detour.

The study recorded an average speed of 17.4 mph and an 85th-percentile speed of 25.6 mph. The 85th-percentile figure represents the speed at or below which 85% of vehicles were traveling.

Daily traffic increased from approximately 2,100 vehicles to 4,250 during the detour, while about 3% of drivers were recorded traveling faster than 30 mph.

Officials discussed whether additional traffic-calming measures, including raised intersections or speed bumps, were warranted. Staff did not recommend those measures under current conditions, noting that School Street’s narrower layout appears to help keep speeds down.

The discussion also addressed stop-sign compliance, school-zone speeds, signage and the need for additional data to determine whether drivers are observing reduced speed limits during school hours.

The committee voted 5–0 to recommend continued monitoring and appropriate safety improvements, along with consideration of a 25-mph speed-limit ordinance for an initial City Council reading in November.

The committee also called for additional speed measurements in a school zone and coordination with the Keene Police Department to assess whether drivers are complying with stop signs.

Officials are expected to revisit the School Street conditions in six months, after the Central Square construction work is complete, to evaluate traffic patterns without the temporary detour.

The committee unanimously recommended authorizing permanent easements and temporary access agreements involving four properties for the Court Street Drain Replacement Project.

The easements would allow the city to complete construction and retain access for future maintenance of the drainage infrastructure. The project is expected to take place next summer, using horizontal directional drilling beneath Court Street.

The city is not currently planning to offer payment for the easements.

Members also recommended granting a permanent utility easement at Guitard Homes Cottage Court for public water and sewer infrastructure. The agreement would allow the city to maintain those utilities while the private road and drainage system remain under private ownership and responsibility.

Lussier provided additional information about a recent water service interruption associated with the downtown infrastructure project, explaining that aging valves and limitations in the city’s service records complicated the work and the identification of affected properties.

He clarified that 44 Central Square retained fire service during the interruption, while two other properties lost fire service overnight. Lussier acknowledged that an assumption about the service records was incorrect and said more frequent updates during significant construction disruptions could improve communication.

The committee received the information without taking further action.

Construction updates also addressed difficulties locating underground telecommunications duct banks and the next stages of work. Water-main testing is expected to begin the following week, with sewer replacement and exploratory drainage work scheduled afterward.

George Downing, who has been assisting with project outreach, reported distributing revised construction schedules to downtown businesses and continuing to check conditions in the project area. He said inquiries are typically addressed within 24 hours on weekdays.

The committee discussed establishing a more consistent communication process for businesses and property managers affected by major construction interruptions. That effort is expected to involve Public Works, project consultant GPI and contractor Casella, with periodic updates coordinated through Downing.