Council votes to support future roundabout at entrance of old State School

LACONIA — The City Council has gone on record in support of the potential construction of a roundabout at the intersection of North Main Street and the entrance to the old Laconia State School complex.

The council voted 4-2 to support building a circular intersection when the redevelopment of the 250-acre complex has progressed to a point where it is generating considerable traffic.

A special panel has been working for three years to identify the possible types of development on the largely-unused property that will result in economic growth for the area and creation of tax revenue for the city and state.

As currently envisioned, the first phase of the redevelopment would involve a commercial use, which could be related to agricultural products distribution as well as a restaurant and offices. George Bald, who chairs the seven-member Lakeshore Redevelopment Planning Commission, has said he hopes that work on building the infrastructure needed for that phase could start next spring.

Planners hope to have the roundabout project included in the state’s next 10-Year Plan for major road and highway construction projects. If the project makes it into the plan it is more likely it will be scheduled to take place several years into the plan rather than on the front end, planners have told the commission.

“What we are approving, is if there is sufficient traffic to put in a (traffic) light, rather than putting in a light, put in a roundabout,” Ward 1 Councilor Bruce Cheney said about the proposal.

State highway planners favor the roundabout concept because the Elm-Main-Parade Road intersection, which is controlled by traffic lights, is just about one-quarter of a mile away, and having two signal-controlled intersections so close to each other is a bad idea.

Ward 6 Councilor Tony Felch, who voted against the idea, said most people he has spoken to are opposed to building a roundabout.

The Lakeshore Commission voted to support the roundabout proposal earlier this month.