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Board reviews streetlight and crosswalk requests, signage inventory and Google-routing complaints
Summary
Committee members raised two specific streetlight requests, discussed a serious crash at the Whitehall Road/Londonderry Turnpike intersection that may qualify for state Highway Safety Improvement Program funds, and flagged signage and GPS-routing problems that reduce the effectiveness of no-through-truck signs.
Council members and staff raised streetlight and crosswalk requests and discussed limits to local authority when state-controlled roads are involved. The committee heard two verbal streetlight requests, examined an intersection crash that could make the town eligible for state safety funding, and reviewed challenges enforcing no-through-truck restrictions when commercial drivers follow GPS directions.
A town official reported two informal streetlight requests—one at the corner of Dartmouth Street and Route 3 near recent commercial development, and another on Royals Oak Drive—and said he would reduce those verbal requests to the committee’s formal request form for consideration. He noted the town previously converted metal-halide fixtures to LED and saved about $30,000 a year in electricity costs as a context for future lighting decisions; the official estimated the town maintains about 409–410 streetlights.
The committee discussed a prior accident at the intersection of Londonderry Turnpike and Whitehall Road. Staff said because a serious crash has occurred, the town may qualify for the state Highway Safety Improvement Program; an on-site audit involving SNHPC, police and engineering staff would be a typical next step. Committee members cautioned that work to add turn lanes or other geometric changes would likely require property acquisition and long timeframes; the state’s funding, they said, has constraints and projects can be delayed.
Members also reviewed signage issues on Main Street and other corridors. The police chief reported that commercial drivers frequently follow GPS directions and disregard posted no-through-truck signs. "A lot of them said, 'Yeah, I'm just following the Google,'" the chief said, describing repeated enforcement encounters. The committee asked Andre (role not specified in the transcript) to provide a complete signage inventory for the town so members can assess compliance and legality of posted restrictions.
Discussion noted that any new crosswalks or sidewalks must meet Americans with Disabilities Act standards and that speed-limit reductions below 30 mph typically require an engineering report and supporting data—members cited the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices as the guidance used for stop-sign and signal warrants.
The committee instructed staff to convert previously verbal streetlight and crosswalk requests into the formal request form for consideration at future meetings.
