The committee spent the latter portion of the meeting reviewing the final design decisions for Keene’s downtown infrastructure project and voted unanimously to recommend City Council approve the final design and authorize the City Manager to implement the project with the material and furnishing preferences discussed.

Stantec designers presented decision matrices and visuals covering sidewalk surfacing (standard concrete with stamped‑concrete accents preferred by Public Works), bike‑path surfacing (integral pigmented concrete recommended over paint), raised crosswalks (concrete on mainlines; asphalt for side streets), and the selective use of unit pavers for accents in places such as Railroad Square rather than throughout the corridor. The team said some options (unit pavers, certain paver-based crosswalks) raise maintenance and winter‑freeze concerns.

Site‑furnishing choices discussed included movable vs permanent U‑bike racks (committee favored movable with some permanent in high‑need spots), trash/recycling receptacles (committee favored standard trash/recycle receptacles over solar compactors because of cost and maintenance concerns, though some favored Big Bellies for reduced emptying frequency), and bench types for Central Square (wood‑slat seating and backless options discussed; committee leaned toward backless/wood‑slat where appropriate). Public Works advised keeping hydrant standards and bonnet color‑coding for fire‑flow identification.

The team proposed design elements to celebrate Railroad Square’s history — including embedding real rail or Corten steel strips — and the committee generally supported using real or representative rail elements; they also favored a single‑post brick gateway arch that could reuse existing Railroad Square bricks. For Gilboa Ave, catenary canopy lighting and leaning benches were proposed as optional elements or bid alternates.

Staff outlined construction phasing (north to south in multi‑season phases), utility trenching limits, mitigation measures to preserve building access and ADA continuity, and a proposed temporary project ombudsman to meet weekly with businesses and attend MSFI updates. City staff said alternative event footprints (using Gilboa/Commercial Street lots and shuttles) can preserve major downtown events during construction.

Councilor Filio moved to recommend City Council approve the final design and authorize the City Manager to carry out implementation steps; the motion was seconded and passed unanimously. Staff will bring a report on funding, phasing, bid alternates and ombudsman hiring to future meetings and the City Council.