Planning Board and Highway Advisory Meeting

March 16, 2011

Planner’s Meeting Notes:

Planning Board Members present are Bob Strobel, Rick Wolf and Alternate Victoria Parmele.  No quorum present.  Ms. Planchet states that the meeting was properly noticed and that the meeting could proceed with the planning board members considered attendees at the meeting of Northwood Highway Advisory Committee with Strafford Regional Planning Commission (SRPC).

Steve Bailey calls the highway advisory committee meeting to order at 7:12.  Members present: Steve Bailey, Marion Knox, John Lane, Greg Bane; Jean Lane recorder.

Present from SRPC: Executive Director Cynthia Copeland and Marc Ambrosi.

Also present are Scott Martin, Northwood representative to SRPC and Town Planner Elaine Planchet.

Ms. Copeland thanks the members for the invitation and explains that this is the time for communities to plan.  She explains that the current timeframe for the state’s 10 year plan is 2011-22; the long range plan would go to 2035.  She discusses the current state of the economy and states that state revenues are down, the economy is down and the same issues exist on the national level.  She states that cuts are expected to be made to the
existing 10 year plan due to revenue shortages.  She explains that in general, planners take this as great time to plan.

Ms. Copeland states that it is good for the SRPC to know Northwood’s transportation priorities for her conversations with state and regional officials.  She notes that she is familiar with the Route 4 issue and therefore she is able to speak with a stronger voice at these meetings. 

Ms. Copeland refers to the information that Bob Strobel had provided in advance and states that it would be helpful to guide the discussions.

Mr. Ambrosi explains the documents he brought for the meeting.  He states that one document includes examples of types of projects which is an 18 items list.  He states that his plan is that they go through the other sheet and then come up with a list of the top 5 project priorities. 

John Lane states it may be a good idea to look at what we have and get the most out of what we have and study those.  Ms. Copeland states that they had done a corridor study around 2003.  Discussion ensues regarding corridor study and the Route 4/Route 152 intersection.  Ms. Copeland states that she remembers that discussion well as she was at the meeting and Nottingham decided not to go for it because they believed they would have the cost of emergency services since the intersection would move to Nottingham.

Ms. Parmele asks, if the corridor study is already done, how can we get the best study for the available amount of money and provide good planning?  Mr. Ambrosi states that perhaps there may be funding through the state.  He mentions the possibility of highway safety improvement audits of certain sections of the road.

Ms. Copeland states that Northwood already is in a great position with the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for access management with the state Department of Transportation. She states that the District 6 office is now working through a new generation of agreement with Rochester to be finalized for this summer.  She states she believes there is real interest in that next level of management with Barrington & Northwood.  She mentions the use of mechanisms such as limiting traffic cuts and distance on the driveway throat, turn lanes, etc.

Ms. Copeland describes what is involved in a corridor study.  She states that Route 4 could also be considered a “regionally significant corridor at the state level” as was Route 125 from Epping to Route 16.  She explains that the corridor study looks at how to look at this to get the best of both worlds.

Ms. Planchet asks if it would be possible to identify and gather existing data in different formats that may be pulled together as a foundation for less cost for the basic pieces of a corridor study and then present that for engineering review and suggestions.  Discussion ensues.  (Items to consider for action: determine status of access management plan for District 6; work with District 6 (perhaps with SRPC?) for implementation of MOU; SRPC to gather all data together.

Ms. Parmele asks that, if we could do a sort of corridor study…could this really bring about something useful for Route 4?  Mr. Ambrosi states it could be used to identify short, medium and long term goals for the community which would be helpful. 

Discussion ensues.  Mr. Ambrosi mentions the second #9 on list.  He states the community already has a park and ride.  He mentions a proposed bus service to serve UNH in Durham to Concord for the law school and also to the Manchester campus.  Ms. Copeland suggests contacting the congressman’s office to lobby for funding for this project.  She explains that the bus transit loop has expanded and that there will be a park and ride at exit 13 on route 16.  She states that the Lee traffic circle will be upgraded and that there will be bus service between Durham and Rochester for folks who work the early shift and it goes out to the 125 circle now.  She states that it’s the best bus service in the state.

Discussion ensues regarding safety issues at Route 4/152; and Route 43 and 4/202 etc…Cynthia and Marc mention need to go to NH DOT with projects for safety fund.  Cynthia says there is a $1 M fund that may be able to be tapped for safety issue that they may be able to use crash data to demonstrate need.

Mr. Ambrosi mentions the idea of a $5 local option fee which could be added to car registration fee via a warrant article specifically to be used for transportation related projects, etc. He states that there is an existing RSA which governs this concept.

Alden Dill arrives at 8:25 and states he is there as a highway advisory committee  member.

Discussion ensues about state budget decisions with the surcharge going away and therefore loss of money for transportation projects.

Mr. Dill explains the Gulf Rd area to Ms. Copeland and Mr. Ambrosi and asks if they have any suggestions.  Ms. Copeland states that it seems that the community has done the logical standards route.  She states she would consider it further.  Mr. Dill states that the senator’s office told Alden that this is an awful situation, and suggested the community get a plan for us to approve.  Mr. Dill states that the problem is that the town can’t afford to get a plan. 

Steve Bailey makes a motion to adjourn; second by Marion Knox.  Motion carries.

Mr. Ambrosi asks about the forms they brought from SRPC for the scoring for federal funding projects.  Ms. Planchet asks those present to take the two forms and to complete them and return them to her in one week so she may compile the information and forward it to SRPC.