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Residents press town on crosswalk changes and school‑area safety
Summary
Parents and school facilities staff raised concerns about crosswalk relocations, bus routing and increased traffic near Lincoln Street School during detours; town staff said they will coordinate with school transportation and push pedestrians toward the roundabout crossings designed for lower speeds.
Several residents and a school facilities representative said they were worried about pedestrian safety and bus routing during the project. Travis Thompson, director of facilities for SU 16, said the detours and schedule could affect school access with staff returning around Aug. 25 and students on Aug. 31 and asked whether bus routing would be feasible. "I'm the new director of facilities for SU 16," Thompson said; town staff responded they will coordinate with transportation and notify schools in advance if there are schedule risks.
Parents and neighbors questioned removal and relocation of a mid‑block crosswalk near Lincoln Street School and whether children would be routed to the roundabout crossing. Greg Bachus and Steve Cronin said the roundabout crossings are two‑stage with refuge islands and aim to reduce speeds where pedestrians cross. Cronin emphasized staff will work with police on enforcement and public outreach: "We'll work with PD and you can also work entirely to get out some additional information on roundabout operation," he said.
Residents requested temporary measures such as channelizing, flaggers at school pickup/drop‑off times and consideration of permanent calming measures on nearby Gill Street if the roundabout diverts traffic there. Town staff committed to monitoring nearby streets and making adjustments if detours create new safety issues.
