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Select Board debates Chocorua village crosswalks, DOT letter and rapid flashing beacon costs
Summary
A divided Select Board discussed whether to repaint, remove or upgrade four village crosswalks after a 2022 New Hampshire DOT letter said beacons would be required when traffic thresholds are met; the board tabled a motion to remove the crosswalks and directed staff to consult with DOT traffic engineer Bill Lambert.
The Tamworth Select Board spent a lengthy portion of its Sept. 30 meeting debating the future of crosswalks in Chocorua village and whether to install rapid‑flashing beacons on Route 16 where pedestrian crossings exist.
Background: Board members said they have a 2022 letter from Bill Lambert, a traffic engineer with the New Hampshire Department of Transportation, indicating that Route 16 crossings in the village were approaching the traffic threshold that would require rapid‑flashing beacons or the town could discontinue the crosswalks. Select Board members and residents disagree about the timing, the cost and legal exposure if the town repaints crosswalks now but does not install beacons later.
Costs and options: Staff and residents discussed estimated costs of about $5,000 per rapid beacon and roughly $1,000 per crosswalk repainting. Board members noted that each crossing on Route 16 would require a pair of beacons and an installation allowance, producing an approximate per‑crosswalk cost in the mid‑$10,000s; multiple crossings would multiply that expense. One board member estimated about $16,000 to $20,000 per crosswalk when installation and painting are included.
Liability concerns: Select Board members asked whether maintaining marked crosswalks without beacons would increase town liability if a pedestrian were later injured. Multiple speakers urged caution: some favored repainting the crosswalks now (lower annual cost, improved visibility), and others warned that repainting might put the town on a path to required upgrades and higher costs. Board members debated whether to discontinue selected crosswalks, maintain all with annual repainting, or invest now in beacons where pedestrian volume warrants it.
Resident and stakeholder input: Chocorua village residents and representatives of the village association argued for maintaining the crosswalks and painting them for safety given recent business openings and pedestrian activity. Others cautioned about the ongoing maintenance obligation and possible state demands tied to the original village‑improvement grant.
Next steps: The board tabled a motion to discontinue the village crosswalks and directed staff to seek clarification from Bill Lambert (NHDOT) about the 2022 letter, the traffic counts and whether a waiver or phased approach is possible. The board will revisit the matter after DOT guidance and any updated traffic counts are available.
Ending: No change in crosswalk status was enacted. The board asked staff to provide the DOT letter and traffic‑count data, to check grant obligations tied to the village improvements, and to return with options and cost estimates.
