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Wolfeboro board approves four‑month pilot lowering speed on Keywayton Road
Summary
The Wolfeboro Board of Selectmen voted May 20 to pilot a seasonal reduction of Keywayton (Keywaden) Road to 20 mph for four months and to establish a policy defining when police studies versus engineering studies are required for future speed‑limit changes.
Wolfeboro — The Wolfeboro Board of Selectmen voted unanimously May 20 to install a four‑month pilot seasonal speed limit of 20 miles per hour on Keywayton/Keywaden Road, responding to resident complaints about heavy summer traffic and narrow roadway conditions.
The board’s action follows a public hearing in which residents described summertime traffic sprawl and safety concerns. Resident Jamie Biddom told the board that the road becomes "rough living" in the summer and urged a permanent, enforceable posted limit rather than an advisory sign. "So we really feel like in order to feel even slightly safer, we would like a 25 mile an hour," Biddom said during public comment; board members ultimately approved 20 mph for the pilot season.
The police department presented one week of radar data and recommended a seasonal reduction. Captain Mark Levy summarized the findings: the majority of vehicle speeds during the sample week clustered about 19–25 mph, with a single outlier at 37 mph, and "the recommendation that the police department did give is for a season," he said. Board discussion focused on whether the department’s investigation satisfies the state RSA that requires a traffic or engineering study for speed‑limit changes.
Select Board members asked town staff and legal counsel to clarify the statutory standard for what counts as an engineering study and whether a police investigation is sufficient for seasonal changes. To address that, the board simultaneously voted to direct staff to draft a town policy that defines when a police investigation suffices and when a formal engineering study is required for future requests.
The pilot will run for four months (board members indicated June–September) and, per the motion, revert to the preexisting speed limit at the end of the trial unless the board acts otherwise. The motion passed on a roll‑call vote with all members voting yes.
What’s next: staff will ask the town attorney and, as needed, the New Hampshire Department of Transportation to clarify the scope and cost of any required engineering studies; the board will review the pilot’s data after the season to decide whether to make the change permanent.
