Keene residents are driving around in circles a lot lately.
After years of debate over the best way to solve the city’s traffic problems, two roundabouts have finally opened to traffic there.
And even the critics at least seem satisfied with how they’re working.
The Keene Sentinel’s Donna Moxley reports.
The last full day of paving at the new roundabout on Route 101, Route 10 and Winchester Street signaled the end of a decade-old struggle.
With all the traffic backed up behind strips of hot, soft asphalt, the circle didn’t seem an improvement over the slow intersection it replaced.
But since the heavy equipment has been put to bed for good, turning from, say, the Keene bypass onto Route 10 is now a breeze.
RS 1: “Everybody’s very satisfied with it. It was a difficult project but the group came through, they built it fast.”
That’s Ron Smalloff, one of the state engineers on the project.
His roundabout was nearly done almost a year ahead of schedule – but it was a long time coming.
And during that time, it could easily have become a highway overpass with huge, trumpet-shaped exit lanes.
But a group called Concerned Cheshire Citizens fought that plan.
They argued that it encroached on wetlands.
And with the help of lawsuit filed by the Conservation Law Foundation, the group won.
That victory led to this cheaper, more circular plan.
Bob King is a founding board member of Concerned Cheshire Citizens.
BK1: “Boy at one point they had 11 lanes across in one location and … just a huge, huge plan, and it was an expensive plan, it was a 66 million dollar plan.”
King said he’s happy with the result of his group’s fight.
BK2: “It seems to be working very well and it’s passing traffic smoothly and it’s safe and it looks good and came in at a price many millions less than the huge overpass and single-point diamond interchange that the DOT had planned.”
Many motorists have been pleasantly surprised driving in the roundabout.
But as with all major intersections, pedestrians face the most serious challenge.
Here, engineers say, traffic is slowed enough to make crossing up to six lanes a little easier.
And there are small medians – little oases of safety – where a person with a bag of groceries can take refuge.
They stop, wait for a hole in traffic … and then run.
(Transition to Main Street roundabout sound)
It was a long summer for drivers in Keene.
While the state was detouring traffic off of three major roads, Main Street to downtown Keene was closed for the city’s own roundabout project.
This one had been delayed by high bids, so both major road projects ended up inflicting grief at the same time. (jackhammer under)
GL1: “It was a long summer.”
That’s Gene Leonard, a local property manager who was prepping a new restaurant for its grand opening during the construction.
Leonard said he likes the end result so far.
GL2: “It seems to be better, seems like the traffic is flowing better, even with this construction going on.”
He says some drivers still look confused negotiating the circular intersection – which is still closed at this end of Winchester Street.
GL3: “I’ve seen people get lost on the roundabout a few times, or get halfway into it and kinda stop, trying to figure out how to get out of it.”
(Jackhammer fades to roundabout traffic)
Those drivers aren’t alone. This roundabout abuts the Keene State College campus, and student pedestrians are still figuring it out.
Freshman Dan Baron says the traffic is fast.
DB1: “Every single time I looked out the window someone’s trying to do a burnout around the roundabout. There’s always tires chirping and people flying around.”
Me: “Do you think the novelty will wear off?”
Baron: “I think people will get used to it because it keeps the traffic moving faster so it’s definitely helpful, instead of that big back-up.”
(roundabout traffic fades)
Few deny that the intersection is working – not even Randy Filiault, a city councilor who openly opposed its construction.
RF1: “There was never really a doubt that the roundabout would work, that was never really a question with me.”
Filiault said he just didn’t want to spend the money at a time when the city had to find funds to hire firefighters and a police prosecutor.
RF2: “Now that we’ve spent the money, that issue now is over, and I hope it works great because it’s gonna have to last us for a long time. Now the question becomes okay we’re still short the firefighters and the police prosecutor and our fire station woes continue, where do we find the money?”
Whether they like the roundabouts or not, most local drivers are just glad the summer of detours and construction is over.
And the real test is just around the corner….when an expected 80,000 visitors drive through the roundabout for pumpkin fest in two weeks.
For NHPR news, I’m Donna Moxley.
