Transportation Committee (TC) meeting minutes, April 6, 2022

Present: Barbara Watkins (via zoom), Earl Horn, Mary Day Mordecai, Erin Hammerstedt, Ned Hulbert, Alison Weber.

Next Meeting:  Wednesday, May 4, 2022.   8:30-9:30 am

Update on regulations concerning posting meetings and minutes

  • TC will post its agenda and publicly notice its meetings 24 hours in advance from now on.
  • TC will ask Mary Ann to notice and post agendas in advance and post meeting minutes after meetings.
  • TC will also post its meeting minutes within required timeframes.

Updates on Radar on Route 137

  • Ned reported on 137 radar test. It works now and will be set up at a new location further north of the current post. Select Board has approved new location, assuming Wes can put post in that location.
  • Ned to follow-up with Wes on when he can place post in new location on 137.

Radar Data Collection in absence of Town Police Chief

  • Earl currently has access to all radar traffic data via the Cloud for Main St and 137 radars.
  • Earl could report monthly to Planning Board/Select Board/Police Dept on traffic volume, average speeds, busiest times of day/week, enforcement concerns.
  • TC will decide at its May meeting on a proposed form of Earl’s proposed monthly traffic data report to Planning Board and Select Board. TC would handoff Earl’s data collection job to new Police Chief, once position is filled.

 Updates on evaluation and education for first MAST 2020 grant

  • Public surveys assessing the trail improvements and the new radars will be made available from mid-June through mid-July. A paper survey will be available on Sesquicentennial (Old Home) days, July 22-24. Surveys will also be posted online via QR code information to be publicized at General Store and around Town.  Mary Day will speak with Mary Ann about Town website link for survey access.  We will finalize details at on above items at May TC meeting.
  • A card with online code access information will also be printed and made available around Town.
  • A Common Threads TC article on the work sponsored by the first MAST grant will be submitted by the May 20 deadline for June/July edition. Mary Day will draft an initial article for comment.
  • TC 150th celebration booth: TC will have a table with the Trails group. Erin will request TC booth with Old Home Days planners.
  • Planning for educational session at Library on outcomes of 2020 MAST Grant re: Town Radars and Trail Work. Meeting may be information-themed, comparing pre- and post-summer traffic data.
  • We plan to hold conversations with event location owners on how to promote safe driving for Harrisville visitors; plan will be developed at TC May meeting. Preliminary talks will be had with venue owners this month for input on best approach: Shane (Mary Day), Maria (Alison), Akhil/Lee, Sara Hefron (Erin).

Next steps on current MAST 2021 grant

  • Mary Day will talk with Henry Underwood to set dates for a SWRPC speed and traffic volume test to run at Wells Memorial School before the new School Zone radars are set up. Test would need to occur by mid-May, if radars can be set-up by end May 2022.  Mary Day will coordinate with new school Principal and update her on all details for the project (Ms. Chase).
  • Finances: a donation from the school and changes to the radar equipment order have allowed us to stay on budget.
  • Location of radars and signs will be where current traffic zone warning signs are placed.
  • Robert Hyslop, NHDOT, has extra “School Zone Ahead” signs to donate. He will also install them.
  • Ordering of radars was done in mid-March. Steel posts will arrive in April, radar/signs in May.
  • Installation process and timing: Earl and Ned will handle preparation details for radars and set-ups.