As is its quarterly routine, the town’s Traffic Safety Committee convened for its third quarterly meeting on July 10 at the town hall to discuss a variety of old, new, and ongoing issues that concern Londonderry’s traffic flow.
Led by Chairman Robert Ramsay, the committee is tasked with “addressing problems that the citizens bring before them to include road signage additions and traffic flow problems,” according to its mission statement on Londonderry’s official website. Members include those holding key safety and managerial positions in Londonderry such as Town Manager Kevin Smith, Public Works Director Janusz Czyzowski, and Police Chief Bill Hart.
Amongst new business discussed by the committee were plans to add stop signs to the intersection of Stonehenge Road and Hardy Road, as it currently lacks any. A local citizen recently complained about the lack of signs, fearing for his safety when getting his mail. However, Ramsay expressed his concern that having too many stop signs would eventually cause people to grow numb to them.
Discussion was then had about complaints made over the placement of a gate at the end of Devonshire Lane, which blocks off access on to Route 102. Smith requested that the matter be discussed, noting that most complaints were coming from those who were living on Devonshire Lane before the gate was installed. However, it was established by Czyzowski that removing the gate was not an option due to “major, major traffic changes” in that portion of 102. The gate in question can only be opened for emergency vehicles.
Then, although it was not on the agenda, Ramsay brought a major concern of his to the committee’s attention: the three-way intersection connecting Route 102 to the Londonderry Commons. Ramsay believes that the intersection poses a serious threat to motorists due to large amounts of traffic coming from 102, namely some coming and going straight from Market Basket, while others cut over to the Commons. Ramsay stated, “I’m surprised we haven’t had that many accidents in that location.” The committee agreed that a discussion should be opened with Town Attorney Mike Ramsdell to seek out options for addressing the problem.
In other news, complaints from residents and CART riders about traffic at the intersection of Sugarplum Lane and Gilcreast Road were brought up. Although Hart noted that there has been “exactly one accident there in 17 years,” plans were still established to turn it into a time-sensitive intersection, dissuading traffic from taking a left off of Pillsbury Road on to Gilcreast between peak traffic hours, those being from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. and from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.