KEENE, N.H. (MyKeeneNow) Keene city officials juggled a wide range of issues at Wednesday night’s Municipal Services, Facilities and Infrastructure Committee meeting from recreational access in Swanzey to parking shortages downtown and mounting infrastructure costs, during a meeting that brought out residents, consultants, and department heads.
Wastewater Treatment Plant Access Road
The meeting opened with one of the most contentious issues: whether to allow continued public access during business hours (6 a.m. to 4 p.m.) to the wastewater treatment plant’s private driveway in Swanzey. The narrow road, originally built in the early 1980s as the sole access point to the plant, was designed strictly for business use. Over time, however, it has become popular with walkers, birdwatchers, and other outdoor enthusiasts, particularly after the city removed a security gate in 2018 and picnic tables appeared nearby.
City staff explained that the unintended recreational use has created mounting safety and
maintenance concerns. The road must remain open at all times for plant workers and large septic haulers who deliver waste daily. These trucks require wide turning radiuses and steady pavement conditions, but staff reported conflicts with pedestrians, parked vehicles, and recreational groups using the roadway.
Earlier this year, the sewer fund invested $300,000 to resurface the road, only to see the pavement damaged again by activities such as burnouts and donuts. Officials emphasized that the plant operates around the clock, 365 days a year, and reliable access is critical to both the city’s wastewater operations and its revenue from septic receiving policies.
Residents voiced their concerns about losing access to one of the area’s most unique birding locations, which has drawn visitors from across the region. More than 200 bird species have been documented near the plant, making it a valuable resource for both recreation and education. Speakers urged the City to find a compromise that keeps the road available to the public while protecting safety and infrastructure.
The final outcome was that the access road will be reopened on an interim basis with new signage reminding users of the rules (such as keeping dogs leashed, walking on the shoulder, and giving right-of-way to heavy trucks). The city will monitor the situation for 2-3 months and then report back to the committee to determine if it is feasible to keep the road open for recreational use during business hours. In the meantime, the community is encouraged to follow the rules to ensure safety for all users.
The compromise, members said, is intended to prevent accidents while acknowledging the road’s growing popularity as a recreational destination.
Downtown Parking Garage Study
From Swanzey, the conversation shifted to downtown Keene, where a consultant presented findings from a long-awaited parking garage study. Using drone surveys and field analysis, the study assessed existing parking supply between Mechanic Street and Emerald Street and projected future needs.
Consultants reported that Keene currently provides about 523 public parking spaces downtown but could face a shortfall of up to 850 spaces in the years ahead. To meet the demand, they recommended building a new public garage at the Commercial Street lot.
The proposed design would hold approximately 915 spaces, with about 35 percent allocated to ramps and the rest on flat surfaces to improve user experience. At ground level, planners suggested adding retail or community space, such as a potential expansion for the farmers market, to integrate the facility more seamlessly into the downtown streetscape.
While members acknowledged the need for additional parking, the financial outlook was sobering. The garage would require an estimated $1.3 million annually in debt service and $500,000 in operating costs. Covering those expenses would likely involve adjusting parking rates for meters, permits, and fines, as well as establishing a capital reserve fund.
Committee members asked whether Keene’s parking demand truly justifies such a large investment and discussed the possibility of public-private partnerships to share costs. Others expressed concern that the garage might not generate enough revenue to offset its expense, creating a long-term operating deficit.
Downtown Infrastructure Project Overruns
The meeting closed with another costly challenge: unexpected overruns in the city’s downtown infrastructure project. Initially budgeted with contingencies in place, the project has seen significant increases in cost due to underestimates of drainage needs, pipe replacement, and electrical system upgrades.
Public Works officials warned that expenses could climb an additional $2.7 to $2.8 million.  Some suggested staging the work differently or loosening restrictions on the timing of construction activities to minimize business impacts.
Several cost-reducing measures were considered but not recommended for implementation.
These included removing spare conduits and pull boxes, eliminating temporary pavement, removing imprinted crosswalks, minimizing colored/textured concrete, cutting temporary lighting, and eliminating bike lanes. The consensus was to maintain these elements due to their importance for policy compliance, aesthetics, public safety, and project flexibility. Instead, the plan is to:
  • Bid the spare conduit and pull boxes as an alternate, allowing evaluation after bids are received.
  • Minimize but not eliminate temporary pavement to retain flexibility in addressing merchant and public concerns.
  • Retain imprinted crosswalks, colored/textured concrete, temporary lighting, and bike lanes for their functional and aesthetic value.
The funding gap (about $3 million) will be covered using the downtown infrastructure capital reserve, avoiding additional tax impacts.
Even with these changes, however, some officials cautioned that the project remains urgent. Many of Keene’s downtown pipes date back decades, and failing to replace them now could result in larger expenses later.
Committee members emphasized the importance of maintaining communication with downtown merchants, who have already endured disruptions from construction-a job now attributed to the City’s project ombudsman, George Downing.
Keene City Councilor Randy Filiault took to the airwaves Wednesday morning as the featured guest on Good Morning with Dan Mitchell on WKBK Radio, offering listeners a candid recap of last night’s meeting.

Filiault highlighted the committee’s decision to reopen a road near the city’s airport for a two- to three-month trial period, stressing that the privilege would be revoked by Public Works if past misbehavior resurfaced. “Within two months, if the behavior doesn’t change, we’re shutting it down,” he said, underscoring that the decision ultimately rests with staff, not elected officials.

But the bulk of the conversation centered on the city’s downtown Main Street revitalization project. He attributed the spike in the cost of the project, which the Council delayed by one year from 2025 to 2026, to updated pricing, tariffs, and volatile market conditions. He added that an anticipated $2.85 million federal grant could soften the financial blow, referring to Senator Jeanne Shaheen’s earmarked funds for fiscal year 2026. Keene’s downtown improvements—specifically sidewalks, bike lanes, and related infrastructure—are on her list.

Filiault also voiced frustration that while residents frequently criticize the project online, only four people stayed in council chambers to hear Tuesday night’s budget update. “This was meeting number 71 on the downtown project,” he said. “The most important one, nobody attends.”

He took aim at a common public refrain that the city should “just fix the pipes,” calling it an oversimplification. The true cost driver, he explained, lies in the extensive east-west pipe connections under sidewalks that link each downtown building to the main line.

Before leaving the studio, Filiault dismissed the idea of a new downtown parking garage, despite a recent study presented to the committee. “The chance of this happening,” he said flatly, “is between zero and no chance in hell.”

Listen to the full interview with Councilor Filiault: