BOS Mintues 04-08-2006

Approved

TOWN OF PELHAM

TOWN OF WINDHAM

JOINT SELECTMEN MEETING

April 8, 2006 @ C= astle Hill Bridge

Approved April 18, 2006

Joint Discussion between the Pelham Selectmen and Windham Selectmen re: Castle Hill Bridge

The Pelham Selectmen Chair, Victor Danevich called the= Pelham Selectmen to order at approximately 8:05 am.

The Windham Selectmen Chair, Galen Stearns called the Windham Selectmen to order at approximately 8:05 am.

PRESENT:

Pelham Sele= ctmen – Victor Danevich, Jean-Guy Bergeron, Tom Domenico, Hal Lynde; excused absence: Ed Gleason

Pelham Staf= f – Police Chief Evan Haglund, Fire Chief Dave Fisher, Planning Director Jeff Gowan, Highway Agent Don Foss

Windham Selectmen – Galen Stearn= s, Alan Carpenter, Margaret Crisler, Roger Hohenberger, Dennis Senibaldi

Windham Staff – Police Chief Ger= ald Lewis, Fire Chief Thomas McPherson, Highway Agent Jack McCartney

Public: 1 member of the public and 1 member of the press was also present.

Mr. Danevich introduced the Pelham Selectmen and staff= .

Mr. Stearns introduced the Windham Selectmen and staff= .

On behalf of the Windham Selectmen, Mr. Stearns reques= ted the joint meeting to review Pelham’s decision to close the Castle Hill bridge during reconstruction of Pelham’s Tallant road bridge. Construction is scheduled to start= in late May 2006 and last for 4 months. During this construction period the bridge will be closed in its entirety, causing motorist in to seek alternative routes. Closure of the Castle Hill bridge = will have an impact on local Windha= m and Pelham residents who use the bridge on a daily basis. The Windham Selectmen would like t= o explore options to keep the bridge open during the Tallant Bridge replacement.

Note: The Castle Hill bridge is a single lane wooden b= ridge currently on the State of NH<= /st1:State>’s red list. Weight limits signs= are clearly posted, but local Pelham residents have observed many over weight trucks crossing the bridge and notified Pelham Selectmen.

Mr. Danevich recognized the Pelham Police Chief Haglun= d as the Pelham Safety Committee Chair and spokesperson for the committee which = is made up of the Police Chief, Fire Chief, Planning Director, Highway Agent a= nd Town Administrator. When safe= ty issues arise, this committee reviews the situation and makes recommendation= s to the Selectmen. With respect t= o the Castle Hill bridge, the committee made a recommendation to close the bridge during the anticipated 4 month period while the Tallant Road bridge is reconstructed. The Pelham Sel= ectmen accepted and approved that recommendation, and closure of the Castle Hill bridge is anticipated.

Police Chief Haglund presented the safety committee= 217;s recommendation to close the Castle Hill bridge. His presentation included a map ha= ndout provided by Planning Director Mr. Gowan that highlighted the two bridges and alternative routes, and a recent Pelham Police report that included a 1 day point-in-time spot traffic count and observation. Chief Haglund continued the discus= sion with a review of the NRPC traffic counts on Mammoth Road, minimized site distance looking north on Mammoth road due to a crest in the road, and a stealth radar report that observed one motorist going 69 mph at the Castle = Hill / Mammoth road intersection. = He summarized the committees review and recommendation to close the Castle Hill bridge for the duration of the Tallant road bridge reconstruction based on = the following:

The Castle Hill / Mammoth road intersection is an unsafe intersection due = to minimized sight distance. While local residents may be familiar with the intersection, a dramatically increased traffic flow of unfamiliar residents will likely lead to a serious accident.
Multiple alternative viable routes exist if the Castle Hill bridge is closed.
The Castle Hill bridge being constructed of wood, cannot handle the anticipated dramatic increase in traffic leading to a shortened life, = or total collapse.
No traffic signaling device is present, and may warrant a Police Detail onsite during peak traffic flow periods if left open.
Increased traffic flow in residential area with winding roads where motorist may= not be accustomed

Alternatives to keeping the bridge open were generally discussed by all that included:

Temporarily relocating the blinking light from Tallant/Keys Hill road & Mammot= h to Castle Hill/Mammoth.
Closing Castle Hill Road to local traffic only
Posting Police details during peak periods alternating between Pelham Police a= nd Windham Police
Contacting the State of NH DOT to explore temporary signaling options
Lowering the speed limit on Mammoth road near the Castle Hill road intersection=
Starting the Tallant road bridge reconstruction and leaving the Castle Hill bri= dge open for the first 30 days, then revaluating if it should be closed.
Starting the Tallant road bridge reconstruction and closing the Castle Hill bri= dge for the first 30 days, then consider opening at some point during the 4 month construction process.

Each alternative was actively discussed for viability = with issues being noted for each item. Identified issues included:

Funding – who pays for any additional Police details, signalization, dam= age caused to the Castle Hill bridge if left open?
Adequate man power to enforce lower speed limits or checking motorist to determ= ine ‘local’ status.
Safety – what if a serious accident like the fatality at Keys Hill/Tall= ant road and Mammoth road intersections occurs due to dramatically increas= ed traffic?
Extending the life of the Castle Hill bridge as long as possible via reduced tra= ffic flow.

At the end of the discussion period, Mr. Stearns polle= d the Windham Selectmen to see what = - if any direction they would like to take.&nbs= p; Two recommended closin= g the bridge, Ms. Crisler and another recommended keeping it open, and a third sa= id he would support closing the bridge if the State of = NH DOT was unable to fund and install sufficient traffic signaling at the Castle Hill / Mammoth road intersection= .

Mr. Danevich polled the Pelham Selectmen to see what &= #8211; if any direction they would like to take. Pelham Selectmen agreed that they b= elieve public safety is still a concern and reaffirm the decision to close the bri= dge, but are willing to re-evaluate that decision if the State of NH DOT can help with temporary traffic safety signaling.

It was mutually agreed that while we speak and meet wi= th the NH DOT, the bridge will be closed during reconstruction of the Tallant road bridge. If the NH DOC can hel= p, both Pelham and Windham would like to revisit the decision and reconsider.

Next Steps:

Pelham Planning Director to meet with State of NH DOT during the week of 4/10/06 to= explore temporary signaling options.
Mr. Danevich to speak to NH DOT Commissioner Murray regarding her meeting = with the Pelham Selectmen on 4/18/06 to see if she can address or help with= the alternatives to keeping the bridge open.

ADJOURNMEN= T

MOTION:<= o:p>

(Bergeron/Lynde) To adjourn the meeting.

VOTE:

(4-0-0) The motion carri= ed.

The joint meeting was adjourned at approximately 9:05 am.

&nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; Respe= ctfully submitted,

&nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; Victor Danevich

&nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; Pelham Selectmen Chair