Gilford Selectboard appeals to state to permanently turn off blinking left-turn light at Weirs, Lake Shore roads

GILFORD — Town Administrator Kristian Kelley told the selectboard, on Sept. 23, the blinking left-turn light at the intersection of Weirs and Lake Shore roads will be temporarily shut off from noon to 8 p.m.

Ultimately, town leaders want the blinking light to be turned off entirely, pointing to accidents, including one during which a local driver died last month. On Tuesday afternoon, Kelley said the light timing had not yet been changed, but he anticipates this to take place soon.

The selectboard, as well as the fire and police chiefs, appreciated it would be temporary, and preferred the light be off from at least 6 a.m. to midnight.

Board members noted the accident on Aug. 21, when 79-year-old Mark Mason died, happened around 8 a.m.

Kelley said he would relay the information to Lee Baronas, traffic engineer with the New Hampshire Department of Transportation Bureau of Traffic. Baronas agreed to temporarily shut off the yellow blinking indicator for the east/west portion of Route 11.

“I reached back out to Mr. Baronas just to suggest that although it is a smaller piece to the data, it’s still a fatal accident,” Kelley said during the meeting. “That was a factor, so to ask if they would keep that shut off in the entire morning and evening commute.”

Kelley said now school is in session, there are more drivers on the road during that time period. He told the selectboard he's been happy with how quickly the state has worked with them.

“The interaction has been very responsive, thus far anyway,” he said. “They’ve been very responsive to the requests, and think they have heard the concerns you folks have had, and the police and fire. I think we’re going the right direction.”

Selectboard Chair Chan Eddy said even if they start with the shutoff at noon, this can be changed down the line.

“In any case, it needs to be done,” Eddy said.

He said that line of sight is a major issue, and the rest of the selectboard agreed. Vice Chair Gus Benavides said he also doesn’t want to do a “bandaid.”

“Anyone who travels these roads knows that the traffic isn’t there just at noontime to 8 o’clock,” Benavides said. “We’ve got that morning commute. That’s why I’m in favor of doing, like, 5 a.m. to 8 p.m.”

Benavides reiterated past statements, saying this is only based on recorded data. Eddy and Benavides have both said they’ve seen close calls, or been involved in near-miss situations.

“We don’t even know how many times people have stopped short, almost T-boned,” Benavides said. “It’s happened to me twice.”

Fire Chief Steve Carrier said, especially during the summer, traffic is moderately heavy into the evening hours. Concerts add even more to this. While he doesn’t know if he has the data to back it up, there is anecdotal evidence, and anyone who drives in the area knows for themselves.

Benavides said concert traffic is routed through this intersection. The amount of traffic going through can be heavy on a concert night, he said.

Police Chief Dustin Parent said between 11 p.m. and midnight tends to be the common time where concerts let out at BankNH Pavilion. He spoke with Kelley about asking the state to make the shutoff time earlier, and he thought it wise to ask the state for any requests about the light they have now while they “have their ear.” Parent said otherwise, there could be a challenge.

In the previous meeting, town leaders noted difficulties getting responses from NH DOT.

Benavides asked the chiefs their opinion on timing, and Parent said they are inundated with concerts. That' what he thought immediately when he heard the light would be turned back on at 8 p.m. He said it is important to protect the intersection in the morning commute, and when people are getting out of the concerts. Carrier agreed.

“Midnight is when the concert venue is clear, so after that, it is whoever’s out there,” Parent said.

Benavides asked the board if they wanted to instruct Kelley to ask for the intersection’s blinking light to be off from 6 a.m. to midnight, with the ultimate goal being a permanent shut-off.

The board agreed, and Kelley said he would make that request to the state.