Neighbors ask Keene to remove left‑turn lane, add sidewalk at Grove and Water; council refers request to staff

Robert Hamm, a resident representing his neighborhood association, presented a letter asking the Municipal Services, Facilities & Infrastructure Committee to take additional steps at the Grove Street and Water Street intersection following the recent installation of a 4‑way stop.

Hamm thanked the city for the stop and said the neighborhood’s top priorities are eliminating a confusing left‑turn lane, restriping so traffic lanes are clearer, adding a missing sidewalk on the west side of Grove Street, and installing pedestrian controls or distinct-crosswalk treatments to improve safety for walkers and students. "We like what's been done thus far. We think there's more that can be done," he said.

Public Works Director Don Luis provided historical context: the current geometry stems from a 2006 planning board review tied to the railroad land development and a 2012 reconstruction that implemented traffic‑study recommendations. Luis said recent gross traffic counts show roughly 159 northbound vehicles during the peak hour and that a focused turning‑movement study would likely determine whether the left‑turn lane is warranted. He recommended waiting about a year to assess the effect of the newly installed 4‑way stop, and said a west‑side sidewalk that would connect to existing sidewalks would be about 570 feet and is not currently in the CIP.

Councilors and the public pressed for staff study rather than merely accepting the communication as informational. Councilor (Speaker 12) moved to refer the communication to city staff for further analysis and potential inclusion in CIP prioritization; the motion was seconded and passed unanimously.

Staff indicated next steps: assign the request to public works for a focused evaluation (possible turning‑movement counts, review of sidewalk CIP priorities, and pedestrian safety options) and report back to the committee with recommended short‑ and long‑term actions.