KEENE, NH – A number of major road projects are on tap for 2023 in the City of Keene.

In his monthly mayoral appearance on WKBK this week Keene Mayor George Hansel noted that the Key Road roundabout project will be finished this year, followed by the Island Street Bridge Replacement project, and the Island/Winchester/Pearl Street roundabout. That’s all happening while conversations surrounding the highly controversial Downtown Reconstruction project continue.

With that, Hansel also noted that there are some positive things coming out of the upcoming construction season, including the opening of Pat Russell Park, and work on the Dog Park and Disc Golf course.

The issue of the Downtown Reconstruction project continues to be a controversial and emotional one with strong opinions on both sides; making cosmetic and traffic flow changes downtown versus putting it back the way it is now.

Either way, Hansel says the project needs to happen.

“People think that this is a voluntary project or that this is somebody’s initiative that they just want to see changes for the sake of change. That’s not really true,” Hansel said. “City staff came to me and told me that we basically… now we’re past COVID, we’re at the end of the line as far as this infrastructure under the ground and it will get to the point in the coming years that you’re really risking failures.”

With the road needing to be dug up to replace the infrastructure underneath, the question remains on how to put it back together again.

A city Ad-Hoc committee recommended a few models, and the matter now goes to the full Keene City Council. The council plans on holding two workshops to take questions and comments, and to allow the contractor on the project to make a presentation on the recommendations. The Council is expected to make a final recommendation in March.

Those workshops are scheduled for January 30th at the Keene Public Library at 5 pm, and February 21st at the Keene High Auditorium at 6 pm.

In an effort to have Central Square put back the way it is now, a downtown business owner and a former City Councilor have launched a “Save the Square” initiative and have held numerous protests in the square and were previously looking for someone to write a petition. The next protest is set for January 7th at 11 am.

A “Save the Square” Facebook page has garnered nearly 1,000 followers and continues to share information on the project.

“We have signs but encourage you to bring your own,” a post discussing the next protest says. “Make it for what concerns you most. Lack of parking, saving our taxes, ADA concerns, preserving history, or local government not listening to their community.”

Hansel said he’s unsure at this point when shovels will hit the ground on the Downtown Reconstruction Project because the design process and the project plan as a whole needs to be finalized first.

Hansel said he also understands that the construction will be a burden on downtown businesses, and he wants to come up with an initiative to help bolster those businesses during the project. He’s also asking that business owners come up with a list of support they’ll need during the work.

The full discussion with Mayor Hansel is available here. More information on the Downtown Reconstruction project, including diagrams of the proposed changes, is available here.