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Council refers Prescott and Paugus road complaints to public works, will seek cost estimates and consider permanent emergency lane
Summary
After extensive resident testimony about deteriorating pavement and emergency access on Prescott and Paugus avenues, the Laconia City Council voted to send the matter to public works for engineering cost estimates and to place consideration of a permanent emergency lane on the Aug. 10 agenda.
Residents filled the council chamber to press the city for a durable fix to long‑standing problems on Prescott and Paugus avenues, arguing temporary annual emergency-lane declarations are not sufficient and that the city must pursue either an "as‑is" acceptance or a phased betterment process.
"We were able to go over it...the most favorable option was to designate it as a permanent emergency lane," said Sean Maguire, who summarized decades of local efforts and urged a hybrid betterment approach. Multiple neighbors raised safety concerns: "The pavement on Prescott Avenue in particular is so deteriorated I find it hard to believe an ambulance or fire truck could make it to residents in a timely manner," Erica Murphy told the council.
Councilors debated options in the staff packet — including acceptance as-is, a permanent emergency lane, and a formal betterment process that would require cost-sharing calculations. City Manager Kirk Biotti told the council that a betterment pathway would require identifying ownership and producing a cost determination so the council could evaluate shared expense proposals. "We know that could take a couple years," Biotti said, promising the city would obtain engineered numbers before further action.
After discussion about precedent and funding, the council voted unanimously to refer the matter to the public works department for an engineered estimate and to place a motion to consider a permanent emergency lane on the Aug. 10 meeting agenda, with required abutter notices and a subsequent public hearing if needed. The council directed staff to return with cost figures and options on timing and financing.
Next steps: the council will review the public works report and cost estimates at upcoming meetings (Aug. 10 and, if needed, Aug. 24) before deciding whether to pursue an "accept as is" designation, a betterment cost-share, or other courses of action.
