Rye Select Board to revisit Route 1A parking changes after residents raise safety and data concerns

The Rye Select Board voted 4—1 on June 22 to revisit recent changes to parking along Route 1A after residents, board members and public-safety concerns highlighted contradictory traffic data and potential safety trade-offs.

Selectman Scott McQuade, who opened the Old Business discussion by recounting a prior traffic injury, said safety is a primary concern but removing 90 parking spaces may have been overly aggressive and deserves a second look. "Safety is a big concern; however, taking ninety parking spaces away needs to be revisited, as it may be too aggressive," McQuade said.

Why it matters: The ordinance removes on-street parking near several intersections to improve sight distances; supporters say that reduces crash risk near Myrica, Baker, East Atlantic and other turn points, while opponents contend removing parking could create a faster "speed corridor" that increases danger. At the June 22 meeting residents and board members disagreed about underlying data: Ryan McGill told the board NH DOT counts show traffic in the area has decreased by 45%, and that "taking away parking will open up the road, which creates a speed corridor." In contrast, resident Beth Tuttle said DOT counts are not seasonalized and said, "During June, July and August, 18,000 cars come through that area." The board did not endorse new traffic counts at the meeting.

Board deliberations and next steps: Chair Rob Wright noted the parking ordinance grew from roughly fifteen months of study and suggested consulting McClure Engineering about how a reduced speed limit could affect required sight distances. The board agreed to examine four areas: potential speed reductions, increased enforcement, adjustments to posted areas and signage clarity.

Selectman John Tuttle moved to "revisit the parking situation" with those terms; the motion passed 4—1 (Opposed: Selectwoman Suzanne Barton). Wright said the term "revisit" was "fairly open-ended," and the board asked Director of Public Works Jason Rucker to follow up with the State regarding signage.

Study group: The board established a smaller working group to define the scope of the revisit. McQuade and Vice-Chair Howard Kalet agreed to serve; the board suggested including Police Chief Blaisdell and a citizen representative.

Public reaction: During two public-comment periods residents urged both urgency and patience. Supporters of the change emphasized sight-line safety around intersections; opponents stressed the need for seasonal counts, engineering data and public notice before enforcement or signage changes. Representative Peggy Balboni, present as a resident, urged inclusive stakeholder engagement and cautioned against rushing the process.

What remains unresolved: The board did not adopt new traffic counts or a revised ordinance at the meeting. The study group will define the next steps and potential technical work (traffic study, McClure analysis, or enforcement options) before the board considers formal amendments or ballot placement.