Hooksett Highway Safety Advisory Board Meeting - July 31, 2026
Hooksett Highway Safety Advisory Board Meeting - July 31, 2026
The Hooksett Highway Safety Advisory Board met on July 31, 2026, at 9:31 AM. Members discussed school traffic issues, fire department infrastructure, approved the 2026-2027 meeting schedule, reviewed e-bike policy, addressed a board vacancy, considered a fire apparatus turnaround on North Candia Road, and decided to request a traffic study on roads in the Lower Road area. All members were present. The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.
Consent Calendar
- Approval of Minutes: The board unanimously approved the minutes from the June 12, 2026 meeting.
Discussion Items
Old Business
- School Traffic Backup and Pick-Up/Drop-Off: The board discussed sending reminder letters to parents encouraging bus use, carpooling, and having children ready. Member David Smith suggested exploring a fee-based system for parents driving children to school to offset busing costs (estimated at over $1 million annually for 15 buses), but noted the majority previously was not in favor. Alternatives such as different traffic flow at Memorial School were considered. The board agreed to send a recommendation letter to the school board chair for further review.
- Fire Hydrant at Legends Drive: The fire department proposed extending a water main from the road into their parking lot to install a hydrant for training, avoiding blocking traffic on EverSource property. The fire chief will contact Central Hooksett Water about installation and potential rental fees.
- Fiscal Year 2026-2027 Meeting Schedule: The board approved the proposed meeting calendar via a motion. One member (Captain James Riley) has a conflict on September 18, 2026, but the meeting will proceed without him.
- Ban on E-Bikes: The school board has implemented a policy prohibiting e-bikes on school grounds during school hours, as stated in the middle school handbook. No signs will be installed; police lack manpower to monitor after hours. The board accepted this as a reasonable compromise.
- No-Through Trucking Ordinance Update: The board confirmed a no-through trucking ordinance is now in effect and has been communicated to the police department. Traffic counts on Main Street and Martins Ferry Road were previously discussed.
New Business
- Board Member Resignation: The chair announced Jeff's resignation and will contact previous applicants to fill the vacancy, then bring recommendations to the council.
- Fire Apparatus Turnaround on North Candia Road (Map 4 Lot 24): The fire chief reported an incident where emergency vehicles had to back down a half-mile class six road. He proposed creating a small parking/turnaround area on town-owned property across from the last residence, which would also benefit conservation users. He will discuss with the conservation commission and residents before bringing a detailed plan.
- Traffic Study for Lower Road Area (Whitehall, Laurel, Spruce Court, Farmer): The board addressed complaints about cut-through traffic. They decided to request SNHPC to conduct speed, classification, and volume counts at three locations: the entrance from Farmer Road to Spruce Court, and the two entrances off Whitehall for Evelyn and Laurel. A summary page was requested.
Good of the Board
- Discussion on handling resident complaints (e.g., requiring written forms) and criteria for initiating studies.
- Update on double utility poles: A contractor will remove remaining double poles on Hooksett Road and Dartmouth Avenue, with work expected by fall 2026.
Key Outcomes
- Motion passed: Approved June 12, 2026 minutes (unanimous).
- Motion passed: Accepted the 2026-2027 meeting schedule (unanimous).
- Decision: School traffic issue referred to the school board chair with a recommendation letter.
- Decision: Fire department will contact Central Water about a new hydrant at Legends Drive.
- Decision: Chair will contact former applicants to fill board vacancy.
- Decision: Fire chief will coordinate with conservation and residents on the North Candia Road turnaround.
- Decision: Board directed staff to request a traffic study from SNHPC for three locations in the Lower Road area.
- Meeting adjourned: No objections.
Note: No public comments were received.
Meeting Transcript
Pretty much just make sure we use our microphones too, please. All right. Um like to call the order, the meeting to order. You got 9 30. Well that says 20 of 931. 931. Uh all right. I guess we'll take attendance real quick and then we'll do the pledge. Go around the room. Dave, we could start with you. David Smith, present. Captain James Riley, present. Uh Captain Robolinski, hooks at fire, present. James and Sakley, present. Leanne McLaughlin. Thomas Martulla, present. Bill Ririck, present. Gerald and Ciadelli. Present here. All right. If we can stand for the Pledge of Allegiance. Pledge allegiance to the flag on the United States in America. And to the Republic for which it stands when we nation under God. Liberty Scorrel. All right, I guess we'll start with old business. School traffic backup and pick up and drop off. Any updates on that or we're gonna be sending out the uh letters to our parents. We're gonna remind them uh about aids and recommend that they take the bus, you know, that the buses are there. Uh also uh carpool whenever possible, and also the uh third idea that we talked about at the last meeting, the basically have your kid ready, you know, the backpack, you know, don't be doing it in the car, you know, to try to speed things up, that kind of stuff. Otherwise, as we talked about last time, the the uh footprints at memorial and um more so even at underhill is are so small there's not a whole lot of room for uh other options other than the parents again. We asked the parents, we remind them throughout the year when they should be dropping their kids off, picking them up, and they still will show up early and just sit there and wait and wait. I haven't had a chance to meet with Andre about the possibility would it be feasible for us at memorial instead of having the traffic come up from 3A and pull in. Could we have them go down the hill, turn around and come back and then drop off that way to alleviate the pressure on Route 3? I'm not sure if I haven't talked to Andre whether that's even feasible or not or viable. Okay. Uh sounds like a good start to a new year to remind parents anyway of all those things. So uh at least that's a start in the right direction. Right, Chair. Yeah, good so I mean I did um just speak to Bill 4 and kind of sat down just because I did miss uh the last two meetings. I apologize. One I was out of state, the other one I actually missed it totally the next day. I was like, ooh. So uh, but I'm still in favor of um either imposing or um bringing forward some sort of fee-based scenario for someone who potentially wants to bring their child to school. And my basis for that is that um well, one is the experience of dropping my child off uh when she was in kindergarten in the beginning, and then within three or maybe five weeks at the most, she was on the bus just because of the time it takes. But I also staff, I mean I think there's five people plus yes, and that's on the outside. Both schools we have staff both on the inside and outside, right? Pick up and drop off. Yeah, and um it is a lengthy process. Um I wouldn't bring the safety issue into it because I think it's very safe. What I've seen at Underhill there's not a lot of chance unless there's like a huge mishap.
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