Keene staff recommend pedestrian beacon and marked crosswalk at West and Pearl; committee approves staff to proceed

A resident petition that asked for a marked crossing at West Street and Pearl Street prompted a multi‑part engineering review and a committee vote to authorize installation of a marked crosswalk with a pedestrian‑activated flashing beacon.

Public Works staff described the site as a four‑lane roadway without a raised median where the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices recommends conspicuity enhancements when ADT exceeds certain thresholds. "DOT measurements at the Ashwillett River Bridge averaged about 19,000 vehicles per day," the Public Works representative said, and recommended an RFB/pedestrian beacon and conspicuity measures because of the long crossing distance.

Residents who use the crossing daily emphasized driver noncompliance and the physical difficulty of crossing four lanes. "It's an accident waiting to happen," Michelle Knapp said of pedestrians trying to cross between intersections.

Public Works estimated it could install the beacon system at about $7,500 by harvesting spare parts from other installations and recommended construction by city crews when weather permits. After discussion the committee moved to recommend authorizing the city manager to install the crosswalk and pedestrian beacons; the motion carried unanimously.

Staff noted that pedestrian beacons improve driver awareness but do not change state law regarding yielding to people in crosswalks and that timing for the beacon could be programmed to accommodate people with limited mobility. If the committee and council agree, staff will seek FOP funding for the flashing beacon and bring a timeline for installation.