TOWN OF BEDFORD
HIGHWAY SAFETY COMMITTEE MINUTES
January 27, 2009
A meeting of the Bedford Highway Safety Committee was held on Tuesday, January 27, 2009 in the Bedford Meeting Room, 10 Meetinghouse Road (BCTV). Present were: David C. Bailey (Chief of Police), Scott Wiggin (Fire Chief), Jim Stanford (Director of Public Works), Bill Dermody (Alternate Town Councilor), Jerry Gagne (Resident), Ken Peterson (Resident), Kathy Benuck (Alternate Resident and Anne Wiggin (School Traffic Coordinator).
The meeting was called to order at 7:15 am. Chief Bailey stated we do have a quorum.
Approval of Minutes
MOTION by Ken Peterson to accept the minutes of the November 25, 2008 meeting. Seconded Jerry Gagne. Motion passed with one abstention.
Sub committee reports
#1 Crosswalk Warning Sign on N. Amherst Rd the VanLoan Trail
Jim Stanford stated that he has been out to the area several times and has yet to see anyone cross there, obviously the winter has played a part in it and at this point he feels no need for signage. When the weather improves he will take another look at the area. Jerry Gagne also stated of all the times that he has driven by he has not seen anyone cross there. Chief Bailey stated he has seen a couple of people but not a large amount. Chief Bailey states if there are no objections to Jim Stanford’s report and to have Jim Stanford look at it again when the snow is gone. All in favor.
#2 Utility Pole at the Transfer Station
Ken Peterson asked Jim Stanford if the pole can be moved or relocated. Jim Stanford replied at a great cost. When the pole was put in no one at that time envisioned the amount of traffic that we have today. Ken Peterson do you have a figure on the cost. Jim Stanford replied that when the utility company comes out to try to move a pole it is at least fifteen to thirty thousand dollars depending on the lines. Jerry Gagne stated it usually is five thousand as a minimum if it is an easy pole but if it is a corner pole it has all sorts of other ramification besides the pole itself as to what Jim Stanford mentioned. Bill Dermody states part of the concern there is the way people are exiting the station around the corner they do not square the corner. Could we give consideration by
putting some sort of traffic island out there that would force people exiting to make it a more exaggerated turn. Jim Stanford replied we can look at the stripping, that was one of the elements that we have looked at and I think we can certainly stripe it. Ken Peterson states that this being our property we can put some orange cones to encourage people into the center line. Jim Stanford replied that would have to be maintained and would not be in favor of doing that. Bill Dermody states something should be done to force the people exiting to be a little more attentative to how they come out. Chief Bailey stated he will appoint himself and Jim Stanford to look into the situation further.
#3 Traffic Light Cameras
Bill Dermody has this gone any further? Chief Bailey states that the bill has been filed and will let the board know when there is a hearing and will send an email out to the board. If it is passed money could be an issue and we will have to look for a grant. Ken Peterson states this at least gives us permission to move forward. Chief Bailey replied yes.
New Business
Item #1 (4) Way-Stop Sign at Ridgewood & Atwood Lane
Chief Bailey states this has been brought up before we had recommended it and it was presented to Town Council and for some reason the Council did not go for it plus there was not an outpouring of people for or against. Chief Bailey asked Jim Stanford do you remember the situation. At that time Stop and Shop had just come in and that might have played a part in it. Chief Bailey stated he has been watching the area and has also received one request from a citizen suggesting a 4 way-stop sign. I ran a history of the accidents from 2005 to present and there were twenty three accidents at the site more than I thought. Coming down the hill from the Nursing Home/Condos the 4 way-stop sign is not to regulate speed. This time of a year the site distance looking towards south river road is
not good. I just feel this is an intersection that should have a 4 way stop sign. Plus CVS also has access to Atwood Ln and I think a lot of people know that Atwood Lane is a short cut to avoid South River Rd to get to Stop and Shop then onto Kilton Rd. if they are going that way which gives the area a lot more traffic and a fairly substantial history of accidents. Jerry Gagne asked what is the breakdown of the accident history. Chief Bailey replied he does not have that report just ran the numbers. I believe the problem is cars stopping at Atwood Ln and not seeing the cars coming from Ridgewood and at that point the car cannot stop in time. Chief Wiggin states do we need to take another vote to present to Town Council. Chief Bailey replied not sure who from Town Council is still is on the board. Again at the time we did not have an out pouring of people against the 4 way-stops and we also had support of the Chairman of the Planning
Board who lived in the condos at the time and I have no idea why it was not passed at the time. I do feel we have more of an accident history and there is more traffic now.
Motion by Ken Peterson that the Highway Safety Committee recommends to the Town Council that a 4 way-stop sign be approved and erected at the corner of Ridgewood Rd and Atwood Ln. Seconded by Bill Dermody.
Jerry Gagne states that as many times that he has driven on Atwood Ln he has never seen that much traffic but the accident history kind of surprised him. Chief Bailey replied that he was also surprised however he does see a lot of traffic because he uses the road quite a bit. Jerry Gagne states he is concerned coming down Ridgewood Rd to stop at that approach because it is a fairly steep hill. Chief Bailey replied not any more than one of the very first 4 ways that we put in at Wallace Rd and North Amherst. Jerry Gagne agreed. Chief Bailey stated back then he was not a proponent of 4 way stop signs and now I am a believer because people do the rotation of this one goes then the other one goes. Wallace Rd is one of the worse roads and they salt that first and maybe we have had one or two
car slip through there but not to the extent that there is a concern and with Ridgewood Rd the hill is a little further back. We have had some bad accidents at Wallace Rd and No Amherst Rd. but since tha 4 way has been put in we have had a couple of accidents but nothing like in the past. We have had some accidents at Ridgewood Rd. and Atwood Ln not serious but some that has spun the cars around into the snow back or onto the side of the road. Jerry Gagne states he agrees that the Ridgewood Rd hill is not as bad as the Wallace Rd. hill.
Vote taken all in favor.
Item #2 To make Nashua Rd a one-way south from Route 101 to the Nashua Rd ball fields.
Item #3 To make Bell Hill Road one-way south from Route 101 to the entrance of the BYPC
parking lot.
Bill Dermody states that the town has been in discussion with the state to put a traffic light at Nashua Rd and 101. Last year there was a sub committee which Jim Stanford was on and at the discussion stage there was assurance from the state (not sure of the program) but the town would be reimbursed two thirds of whatever the cost of the intersection was up to state wide availability. Jim Stanford replied yes. Bill Dermody stated that in time the assurances became a little less strong as far as the state guaranteeing us two thirds returns. So I feel there are questions whether we would be in receipt of that two thirds reimbursement. Councilor Young has made a proposal as far as a warrant is concerned that we ask the voters to consider an expenditure of a million dollars for the light at
the intersection. And basically it would be what the state proposed as option 1-A which is the very basic improvement to the intersection, some paving along the shoulders and a traffic light. There is one other option on the table the town has submitted the three options that the state proposed to us, 1-A, 1-B and 2. 2 being the most extensive, one being up to about three million dollars and they have lumped that into a package to receive Stimulus money. If the voters decide not to spend the money because they do not like the guarantee that we are receiving from the state or if we do not get Stimulus money it is likely that an intersection may not be addressed until sometime later when the state puts it back in the ten year plan. Bill Dermody states that he recommends that if all else fails with the state in the near future that we consider making Nashua Rd one-way in towards the High School going south for that short length to the entrance of the
Nashua Rd ball fields so that way you would have access to the ball fields from either direction preventing students or anyone else gaining access to 101 via Nashua Rd they would be forced to take other roads. Along the same line Bell Hill would be one-way off of Nashua Rd. north just for a short stretch till you get to Bedford Youth Performing Center. The one-way would have been part of the states’ corrective action at 101 had they done any one of the three options. They are both contingencies at this point until the state comes back and addresses 101. Ken Peterson states he is concerned that once you make a change it will effect other intersections. I can see it making a conflict of traffic at McKelvie School. I think we should discuss making Nashua Rd a right turn only onto 101 as an option before the traffic light is installed and no left turn onto Bell Hill Rd from 101. This would at least guide the traffic down to a traffic
light. Jerry Gagne states VHB prepared an intersection that winds itself to what Ken Peterson has mentioned as far as free lights both on Bell Hill Rd and Nashua Rd. Jerry Gagne states the problem he has with placing a turn around in about six hundred feet from 101 is that you would have to improve the parking lot at the ball field to allow for a turn around to exist and to allow vehicles to make that turn. Jerry Gagne states he agrees with free rights in and out of Nashua Rd. as long as you can restrict left turn traffic with both Bell Hill Rd and Nashua Rd and that would eliminate the problem of having to develop a U Turn or parking lot improvements at the ball field. Bill Dermody questioned how successful was the controlling of the Hardy Rd intersection of mandating a right hand turn only sign? Chief Bailey states any traffic sign that is put up will not have twenty four seven compliance or monitoring from the police department. The
first time a sign was put up at Hardy Rd it read right turn only. A second time another sign was put up and it read no left turn which did work pretty well. Chief Bailey mentioned that he brought this question up to his command staff. They feel at this time no left turn should be restricted out of Nashua Rd and no left turn into Bell Hill Rd. Chief Bailey then states we cannot restrict the left turn onto Bell Hill Rd because that is the state’s preview. Before the state allows us to do that we have to have a traffic study. This plan of the one-way on Bell Hill Rd would restrict it through the town powers because you are making it one-way north just to get into the dance studio. Chief Bailey also is concerned with the area so called “six corners” Mckelvie School is backed up in the morning and the afternoon then cars will be pushed down Meetinghouse Rd which is already in failure, so we really need to think what the
unattended consequences are. If we could wait till spring do some traffic counts and get Southern NH planning to strategically put out what we are going to do at these intersections. Chief Bailey also states he does not like going in a short distance then having it become a one-way. With the turn around you would have to have some sort of pre-warning signs at Nashua Rd. for the ball fields and then there is a smaller consequence with parks and rec. constantly mowing those fields, for them to go back to their garage they would have to make a complete loop which can be done but adding approximately a mile and a half which is a small consequence to fit one department. Chief Bailey also states that he does not see too many one-way streets where they start one-way up the street a little bit which might be somewhat confusing. We do not want to restrict the business (BYPC) at the corner of Bell Hill and 101. They do have a restriction that you cannot
make a left turn out of their 101 parking lot. Bill Dermody states that if we do not have any help addressing this intersection and it is left this way he is afraid of the end results. Chief Bailey agrees because he has seen some near misses. Bill Dermody replied I would rather suffer the inconvenience then to see a car full of kids not paying attention coming out and trying to challenge 101 and losing the battle and the town would be in a bad light if we do not address it. Bill Dermody states he agrees with Chief Bailey to get more traffic count and to think this through further. We do not have to rush into this because we are still waiting to hear from the state to get a better assurance as to what they might do as far as reimbursing us and we are not sure how long it will take to hear about the stimulus package however, he does know that it has been put into the state. Bill Dermody states something should be in place by next fall before the
fourth class enters the High School and then we have two classes on the road and doubling the number of student drivers. Chief Bailey replied if we get the support of Southern NH Planning they will put traffic counters out for us every spring and have them do that whole area. Another place that is going to back up is if you try to get back to the center then go down to six corners, take a left to go up Liberty Hill Rd especially at night then try to get back onto Meetinghouse Rd and Meetinghouse is back up to Liberty Hill at rush hour so to try to get through there. We might be able to work with the state to get some delayed greens coming through there. The only way a car can make a left hand turn at Meetinghouse Rd and 101 is to get over the stop line wait till the light turns red and only one car goes. The second car if they do go they are breaking the law. The state in the mid eighty’s put up the traffic light after a three car
fatality. There is a hearing with the town council on February 11th. Chief Wiggin states that VHB has done a study there. Jerry Gagne replied yes a study for the school district and at 2:45 pm (which is considered the peak school hours) weekday afternoons two thousand nine volumes with school and without improvements there were two hundred thirty five left turns coming out of the school onto Nashua Rd and out of those two hundred and thirty five one hundred and sixty five where left turns out onto 101. Chief Wiggin states there was a proposal to put an island which would give fire apparatus and emergency vehicles an opportunity to make a left off of 101 down Nashua Rd. It was a raised median that you could ride over and I am not sure what happened with that proposal if the state did not buy into that. Jim Stanford stated they presented the proposal to the state they did not say yes or no just to go back and study it. Jim Stanford
stated they looked at it but there is no way of studying it and coming out with an impact that it does not cause impact on some other issues, it will over load Meetinghouse Rd making that delay worse and also making Wallace Rd worse. We can make an argument to the state that the safety aspect of a restricted intersection out ways the negative impact on the other intersections however, there will be significant delays which makes no sense to study it any further. Chief Wiggin replied there is quite a bit of data and the concept that was proposed it was the state buying into it because it would be restricting no left going westbound on 101 and without a light it is the only alternative not just signage but island construction and most of it was out of the right of way for the state. Jim Stanford replied no the island was within the intersection and there would be some signage on the state and again I think we can make an argument to the state from a
safety aspect and maybe we can make the same argument as far as the one-way but there are other concerns with the one-way being able to turn around on Nashua Rd which we have the additional right of way plus the town fields. Then on Bell Hill Rd that will be very problematic because Jim Stanford states you cannot fit a turn around there unless you get some sort of easement from the performing arts’. Bill Dermody questions how will that be addressed in Option 1-A, 1-B and 2 because Bell Hill was going to be changed to a right only off of 101. Jim Stanford replied we will have to make some sort of restriction off North Amherst Rd or actually making it so that no portion of Bell Hill Rd you could go down that way. Chief Wiggin states you would have to have a one-way restricted to get people to BYPC and some sort of control point at North Amherst to divert people. Chief Bailey states if you make Bell Hill one-way you need to make Bell
Hill one-way period which would restrict the left hand turns without having to get the sanction from the state. They could open up the parking lot at BYPC unless there are restrictions from the state for right in and right outs. If coming north of 101 to BYPC you can turn onto North Amherst Rd and also avoiding some traffic and going out they should be able to make a right turn only out of the parking lot. I do not agree of having half of the road one-way and the only consequence would be to Meetinghouse Rd. Jerry Gagne states Craft’s appraisal is another business we need to look at because if we restrict it one-way they would be in a more difficult situation than BYPC. Ken Peterson states if we make Bell Hill one-way what if we make it a one-way south now people cannot turn left and also with big signs saying do not enter and reflow the traffic going into the BYPC but to come down North Amherst they can turn right and go in there and then the traffic
can flow out of BYPC on Bell Hill turn right or left onto 101. Then have the islands on Nashua Rd that would force traffic to curve right onto 101 and not go left. Chief Bailey question to Ken Peterson you say make Bell Hill Rd one-way south? Ken Peterson replied yes. Chief Bailey states if you make it one-way north at least you can get the people to those businesses. Jim Stanford questioned to Ken Peterson making one-way south with restrictions? Ken Peterson replied yes. Jim Stanford does feel Bell Hill is a problem but I think the Nashua Rd is more of an issue. Jim Stanford states he needs to put more thought into the one-way and he is not convinced and would much prefer to see the right in and right out restriction and it eliminates some of the maintenance concerns with the one-way or even dead ending one-way half way. Jim Stanford also states he prefers to see the right in and right out with the raised island and from a
controlled aspect we could approach the state however the impact on Meetinghouse Rd will be very significant. And now maybe the left turns on Meetinghouse Rd will create a greater safety concern then the left turns out of Nashua Rd. Chief Bailey states we could alleviate that a little bit by some delayed greens. Jim Stanford responded that they have talked to the state about that but every time we do that they say it means less through time the other direction with possible grid lock at some of the other intersections. Chief Bailey states we will have road blocks no matter what we do but this would be the least of them. Ken Peterson states we are not looking at a win/win situation we are looking at the lesser of the evils that we need to choose from. Bill Dermody states the school’s student hand book states to exit the school by making a right onto Nashua Rd. Chief Bailey replied that the signs at the school indicate that now.
Bill Dermody questioned how successful have they been. Chief Bailey replied no really sure how many people are doing that. In the morning very few cars try to make a left turn coming out of Nashua Rd. more so in the afternoon. The majority of the accidents for that stretch of Bell Hill and Nashua Rd rear enders into cars are left turns. Chief Wiggin states what about closing Bell Hill completely at 101 and keeping it a two-way and placing a no outlet sign on Bedford Center Rd. Chief Bailey replied making Bell Hill one-way allows us to restrict the left hand turn into Bell Hill without having state approval. Chief Bailey also states that he does not agree with Chief Wiggin. Chief Wiggin replied eliminate the curb cut to 101 and have it two-way and have no outlet sign at Bedford Center Rd. Chief Bailey questioned to have Bell Hill Rd dead end which has been talked about. Chief Wiggin replies that way it would be straight in from
Bedford Center Rd and would go to the businesses and to North Amherst Rd. Chief Bailey if there was a way to eliminate the left turn to Nashua Rd which we can by making Nashua Rd a one-way north however does have concern with the fire trucks. Jerry Gagne states you could still have a right in and a right out then you still have to develop a turn around or a hammer head for maintenance so that the highway department would have access for snow plowing however after all this it might be better providing for a raised median where you would have a right in and a right out. The raised median the right in and the right out at both Bell Hill Rd and Nashua Rd work together however you cannot take one without taking the other because it eliminates the problem with regards to left turns. Chief Bailey states Bell Hill was shut down completely during voting and we had an officer controlling the left turns in. Chief Bailey mentioned during the voting the
emergency access gate was opened at the school which worked well. Jerry Gagne states the VHB study at the 2:45 pm peak that there was an option with the school improvements and the Chestnut Dr alternative the left turn at Nashua Rd with at pm peak dropped down to twenty. So it moved from Nashua Rd down to Chestnut Dr based upon the study. Bill Dermody this just moves the scene of the disaster. Chief Bailey states although it is easier to take a left turn out of Chestnut Dr than it is Nashua Rd because there is a turning lane. If we ever get serious about using Chestnut Dr we need to get the school’s input they could be against utilizing it for any purpose. Jerry Gagne states the problem with the school is the internal configuration of the school it does not lend itself well to traffic because it comes into the parking lot and not the main loop so there would have to be some school modifications.
Motion by Ken Peterson pending State funding that this would be our interim plan to
recommend to the Town Council that a right in and right out only at the intersection
of both Nashua and 101 and Bell Hill and 101 to include raised traffic islands to guide the
traffic. Seconded by Jerry Gagne
Discussion
Chief Wiggin states that Nashua Rd is something that we have supported in the past however, maybe not to take action on these two items at this time and to wait for the public hearing at the Town Council level to see if any other possible solutions or ideas come forth that we can way into later. Ken Peterson states this is our recommendation of what we have of information at this point. Chief Wiggin replies in case something else comes up that we have not thought about and feels that we do not have to act quickly on this today? We have talked about waiting till the spring for traffic counts etc. This is scheduled for the February 11 meeting. Chief Bailey questioned how would you restrict left turns onto Bell Hill Rd? We cannot do this without the states ok. Ken Peterson the
only other option is to make Bell Hill Rd one-way south that would restrict two turns into Bell Hill Rd. Chief Bailey replied he would prefer if to make this one-way that he would like it to be one-way north. Bill Dermody states this does not prevent the Nashua Rd or the Bedford maneuver. You can right out of Nashua Rd and left onto Bell Hill and that probably is the biggest element. Chief Wiggin states maybe have a taper with an island just coming in west bound and island obstruction so that you could not come across. Ken Peterson replied this is part of the motion. Ken Peterson states have the island high enough six inches so that the fire trucks could go over if necessary. Chief Wiggin states it would not be that critical for the fire department at that approach if the island would be at Nashua Rd. Chief Bailey states what if you eliminate left turn out of Nashua Rd. Ken Peterson states with the raised island you are
preventing the Bedford maneuver you would not be able to turn left from 101 unless you drove over the island. Jim Stanford states it would have to be within the right of way of the state and we would need to make an argument to the state. The state might say that there is too much of an impact on Meetinghouse Rd and they would not allow us to do that. Ken Peterson states if the state sees that we have an interim solution and they do not have to come up with three million dollars or whatever to Bedford they might be a little more agreeable to our request. Chief Bailey states if we involve the state making Bell Hill Rd one-way south that would solve the problem. Ken Peterson replied it solves the whole problem. Chief Bailey replied I do want to protect the interest of the businesses and it is not unheard of to cut off an access like that and I believe there is a case law. It is not land taking the state did it with Woodbury Ct which is a right in
and right out. Chief Bailey states that the motion does not say how to restrict the left turn. Ken Peterson replied yes by creating the raised islands and guiding the traffic right turn out and right turn in only. Chief Bailey states so that is the motion on the table.
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