The Town of Northwood, New Hampshire - Highway Advisory Committee Minutes

Roll Call: Present were Steve Bailey, Jim Wilson, Paul Belliveau, John Lane and Marion Knox. Absent were Robert Bailey, Fred Bassett, Joe Holmes and Alden Dill.
Jean Lane recorded the meeting.

Approval of Minutes: Marion stated that Jim Wilson informed her that the minutes stated under the Road Agent’s Report, that the committee felt the bids Jim was obtaining were for Woodman Park. The bids were for paving Old Turnpike Road. Marion asked that this correction be made in the minutes. Motion by John Lane seconded by Steve Bailey to make this correction was approved by the committee. There were no other corrections to the June 24th minutes.

Road Agent Report

Jim reported this crew is cleaning road signs, fixing guard rails, and filling pot holes. Hodgdon & Sons are ready to start ditching Blake’s Hill Road, and Docko will be widening guard rail areas and other spots on Old Turnpike Road. Jim is going to check on the size of the town lot on Harvey Lake Road to make sure there is sufficient room to make a bus turn-around. This section of the road is being prepared for paving and will be done along with Old Turnpike Road.

Jim reported on the estimates received for paving:

Pike  69.25 per ton  1.75 per sq. yard for reclaiming
Continental 67.50 per ton  1.75 per sq. yard for reclaiming
Wolcott 65.00 per ton  1.50 per sq. yard for reclaiming

On July 14th the Selectmen approved Wolcott’s prices. He has a purchase order prepared for the Selectmen to sign.

Jim informed the committee that Audley Construction was giving away Jersey barriers, cones, catch basins, free for the taking, and he was able to get some. A catch basin can be used for the Woodman Park repairs.

Jean Lane asked about the yield sign for West Street where it meets School Street. Jim indicated the signs have been ordered. The question was asked whether this sign should be placed by the town or the State, as the road enters onto the State road. Jim will check with Division Six before placing the sign as Charlie Pease put up a sign for him on a town road that abuts a State road and he was told by a State worker it was not the town’s job to do it.

Steve Bailey asked about the cedar trees on Ye Olde Canterbury Road, the branches of which hinder sight turning into and out of the road onto School Street. Steve feels the tree branches should be trim off or the trees cut down. The question again is whether the trees are on private property or in the State’s right-of-way. Jim with check on this also.

Jim spoke of the tree branches that overhang public service wires on Route 4 near the transfer station. He has spoken to the State patrol person about this and was told by this person that he was not going to do anything about this matter.

Relative to an update on the West Street culvert situation, Steve stated he was told that the State replaced what was there before, and the job has been completed. Jim talked with Randy who stated the hole was always there, but was filled so it was not visible. Marion stated Alden Dill told her that the Selectmen asked David Stack to write a letter to Division Six about this matter, but David is on vacation so she could not verify that a letter had been sent.

Update on Gulf Road research: Paul Belliveau has been reading the information given to him by Marion, and it is his feeling at this time that the old road is still the best route for the town to use. Steve stated that Paul is not familiar with what the Scouts and property owners in that section of town are attempting to accomplish. The property owners who have many acres of open land have united and have placed land into conservation classification, so the land will always be open space. The Boy Scouts are very interested in doing the same with they acreage. Steve indicated there is already about 3000 acres of conservation land in that area and the Boy Scouts are interested in adding their land to it. For this reason it would be best if the town opened Gulf Road to Winding Hill Road, and gave the Scouts the old Gulf Road, which would have to be done through Town Meeting action. Paul stated he feels the shortest and most economical way would be to open the old road again, as it would be a shorter distance. Opening a new road would mean upgrading Winding Hill Road also and changing its classification. Steve stated that emergency vehicles could get to the area faster by using Winding Hill Road – they would come from the Ridge Fire Station, go up Harmony Road to Winding Hill Road, to the new road in less time than it takes to go from the Narrows Station to the area now.

Steve indicated that this road would be an emergency road, not a new thruway road, it is access for the people who already live there. The land that would abut the road is all conservation land and will not be built upon. Steve’s father explained this to him, and if you look at a map of the entire area and see all the green you will understand what he is talking about.

The committee discussed the different ways a road could be built to connect Gulf Road to the rest of the Blake’s Hill area. Paul is interested in providing cost information, but needs plans that will provide him with footage, contours, etc. Marion will give him whatever information and plans she has in her research file.

John Lane stated that there is a different situation with the Gulf Road than that of the Bennett Bridge Road area and the opening of that emergency road section. The extension of Gulf Road would allow a great percentage of the people in that area to enter Northwood easier and to receive emergency service faster. However you cannot make a “half-ass” road and leave it at that. Marion stated you have a decent Class 6 section of Winding Hill Road and a 50 foot section of land into the town’s parcel already, so you might as well make it a decent road all the way. John indicated it is much easier during the planning stages to get what should be the final road on paper, than to try to get it in years to come. Marion stated the feeling of townspeople is that once you open it up it will bring more development. John asked what is the matter with having development if it is done the right way, and produces better living for people and a better access for all to come for the village of Northwood instead of going all the way through Deerfield and Epsom. He understands that there would be more traffic going through the existing area, and there would be some disgruntled property owners, but which is worst, having no road and not receiving services on a timely basis. Steve said the basic point is the 200 acres of land that would be put into conservation land by the Boy Scouts. He can see John’s point – Winding Hill Road is already built and will not require much to bring it up to class 5 standards, and is an asset to the town. John asked if the Planning Board has this area up for discussion at this time. Marion stated they are not into this area as far as she knows.

Bennett Bridge Road bids: Marion provided a copy of the breakdown of the 93,600 figure used in the warrant article for the repairs, etc. of the causeway and beach. The committee reviewed the figures and the advertisement that the Selectmen have prepared for contractors. The question was asked about using alternatives for what the plan shows. Steve stated the plan must be followed to the letter in order for the town to receive State and FEMA approval. Any alteration would require going back to the State for approval, and would probably result in no reimbursement from FEMA. This causeway is an historical structure, and it is now, as far as FEMA is concerned, is a nationally recognized historic structure. All bids are due by 6:00 p.m. on August 25th at which time they will be opened and reviewed by the Selectmen.

Other Business:
Bennett Bridge Road
Steve reported that Fred Bassett informed him that a 20 foot ditch has appeared at the Bennett Bridge Road extension area. It appears that the recent heavy rains have washed out a part of the roadway. Steve feels there might be some ledge involved, Paul asked whether any crushed stone had been placed on the roadway, and Steve indicated most of
the road has crushed stone on it. Jim and Steve will check on this after the predicted heavy rain for tonight is over.

Northwood Ridge Water District
Jim asked if anyone knows where there is an as built plan of the Ridge Water District. He had an incident recently on Route 4 when he was asked by Public Service to locate a shutoff, and he found that no one has such a plan, only the construction plan. Much discussion about this, as the official plan for the work should be recorded with the State, and it appears even the State does not have a plan. Jim stated he asked Jake, Bob Young and Marylou Tuttle, officials of the water district, and none of them have an as built plan. Jim indicated that some of the shut-offs have been paved over on both the State and town roads and can not be found without a detector. John asked if the State has a plan, as they should have a plan of anything done on a state road. Jim stated he gets letters from the State whenever they are going to do anything in Northwood, asking for information about what is located under the roadbed. He checked with the State on this matter and they do not have a copy of the plan. Paul stated it is up to the water district to employ someone to locate all the shutoffs and locate them on an official plan. Jim feels it is not up to him to approach the water district... John stated that any town or city that places something on a state highway, by regulation or law, must provide an as built plan to the state, usually to the state division of the district office. He suggested that perhaps NH Division Six in Durham may have a plan, as their responsibility is to make sure that everything in their division is up to snuff. Jim indicated that they do have an original plan, but no as built plan. John stated if everything was built according to than plan, it should certify it on that plan

Paul suggested that a letter be sent to the Selectmen informing them of this situation, requesting that they approach the water district and obtain an official as built plan that can be duly recorded and made available whenever needed. The committee members agreed that Marion should write a letter to this effect to the Selectmen.

Marion’s Research Project
Marion spoke to the committee about the work she is doing researching the background of town roads, and the fact that people have inquired about roads at Town Hall and the staff may not have the information they need. In these instances Marion, through an agreement with Paul Martel, has received via Town Hal staff, requests for information. Any information Marion has provided to a person has been invoiced to that person using, the policy for research that the town has in place. She asked that any committee member who is asked for the name of the person who does the research, refer them to Town Hall so the established procedure can be followed. Marion does not feel she should be contacted directly by any individual, the request should come through Town Hall.

Steve Bailey indicated that he knew the procedure, but had recently provided a property owner with Marion’s telephone number, knowing that it was not the right thing to do. He stated he will follow the procedure, and Marion indicated she would not accept any inquiries that are not within the policy for research. The committee members expressed their approval of using the research policy.

Adjournment: Marion moved to adjourn, seconded by Paul Belliveau at 8:40 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Marion J. Knox
Member/Secretary

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