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Tamworth Select Board restores Page Hill speed limit, removes ‘not a through road’ signs pending traffic study
Summary
After counsel and staff flagged a statutory requirement for a formal traffic engineering investigation, the Select Board voted 3–1 to restore Page Hill’s prior speed limit and take down ‘not a through road’ signs while a traffic study or committee is pursued.
The Tamworth Select Board voted to restore Page Hill Road to its previous posted speed limit and remove the “not a through road” signs while the town pursues a formal traffic engineering investigation.
Select Board member Leigh Anne, who summarized weeks of work on traffic routing and GPS diversion, told the board that counsel had identified a statutory requirement for an engineering or traffic investigation before speed-limit changes could be imposed. “That is that we restore Page Hill to the original speed and we remove the not a through road sign, pending formal traffic investigation for engineering study,” she said.
The issue arose after the board and Lakes Region planning officials proposed a three-pronged plan aimed at routing GPS-directed traffic onto the state road instead of the town road. Board members said they had held public meetings and shared data but learned counsel and state law require a traffic investigation under the RSA cited in the meeting record.
Some residents pushed back at the idea the town’s change could criminalize normal local travel. One resident argued that making Page Hill “not a through road” would effectively make it private for residents and said, “...the rest of us who live in town will be breaking the law if we transit Page Hill Road as we’re accustomed.” The board discussed enforcement limits and the purpose of the posting, emphasizing the change was intended to reduce high-speed GPS traffic from out of town, not to penalize local drivers.
After debate the board moved to restore the prior posting and remove the signs while further study is undertaken; the motion passed by roll call with three votes in favor and one opposed. Board members also encouraged formation of a traffic-study committee of citizens or volunteers to undertake the engineering work and present recommendations to the board.
Next steps recorded at the meeting include removing the temporary signs and pursuing either an in-house traffic investigation or a citizen-led study to meet the statutory requirements referenced by counsel.
