Transportation Committee (TC) Minutes of 1-9-25

Next meeting:  February 13, 2025, 8:30 am, HHI Conference Room

Present: Mary Day Mordecai (chair – Zoom), Earl Horn, Ned Hulbert (Zoom), Roxanne Karter, John Knight, Kully Mindemann, Don Scott, Ryan Whitworth (Zoom)  Absent:  Russ Cobb, Steve LaMears (Police Chief), Kate Neary

  • Update on TAC membership

Mary Day will serve as a rep for Harrisville for SWRPC’s Transportation Advisory Committee which works on regional transportation improvement opportunities. 

  • Hancock Road improvements
  • Review and analysis of results of SurveyMonkeys for Skatutakee Lake Association and town website.
  • Mary Day, Ryan, Earl et al. made summary comments about survey. Police presence was most noted as helpful, with more needed.
  • Group discusses and draws conclusions about additional steps needed or lessons for the future. Earl noted that 1-2 more curves may be needed.  We may need repainting of existing curves this spring.  We’ll check to see how painted curves are holding up for winter.
  • Pruning of roadside by Road Crew: do it earlier in summer and keep it trimmed on somewhat a regular basis through summer.
  • Town Radar Reports
  • Earl gave update on further work with radar data. TrafficLogix tech person is providing support to Ryan so that he can make ongoing data analysis. Ryan assumes he will get what he needs to work with data more easily and smoothly.
  • Next steps: TC hopes to review radar data summary at our February meeting before we present it to Select Board.
  • Recycling Center Improvements
  • TC role is to advise on safety for traffic flow and increased parking at Recycling Center.
  • Don noted the Recycling Committee has disbanded, having completed its tasks (now a volunteer effort headed up by Penny King). Don talked with Ben re: developing an updated parking and site re-organization plan, to be presented to SB tonight. Ben is getting costs for the proposed parking adds (6 more parking spaces) and other changes (which include moving the entrance gate).
  • After more discussion Don agreed to propose to SB tonight that the plan be put on hold until all the department heads (esp. Wes, Steve, Jeff, TC rep) be in the room together to discuss and critique the plan collectively.
  • Church Street Traffic Flow

-Various items were discussed until TC reached agreement on research needed.

-TC looked into mirror purchase for safe turning from Church onto Main.  Steve had promoted Church being a one-way street. Size of mirror is secondary to flow of traffic.

Do we still need a mirror – yes, according to some.

-Mary Day shared Steve’s observations from sitting for 90 min. and watching traffic flow, pedestrian safety, etc.

-Town has control over whether there is one- or two-way traffic flow in front of store.

-Should we note traffic flow and impact on use of Community Center (as it will be shared Town-HHI responsibility)?

-John noted that Community Center plan is still very much in process. There will be all kinds of events there, which will increase traffic flow at those times.  Traffic flow near PO and Center must be worked out.  A one-way flow might make it much simpler during an event – but a non-established system might be the most useful, safest approach. That is, more rules can be problematic.

-Kully noted one-way traffic down Church Hill past Children’s Center may be problematic – because parents will be focused on their kids, not more traffic coming down hill.

-TC agreed to:

– Do observations and counting of traffic/other behaviors – perhaps now, spring, summer*

– Conduct individual interviews of residents, incl. School St (10 folks), one-way or two-way and other issues to attend to (Kully/Roxanne: March + MD/Ned + Don/Roxanne)

– Later conduct a Community meeting (open to all) for views on the issues.

-TC did not have time to address long term issues related to traffic flow, parking, pedestrian safety in town. Agreed that may need to dedicate a meeting solely to this topic.