May 14, 2009 Meeting Minutes

SHPO-FHWA-ACOE-NHDOT Bi-Monthly Cultural Resources Meeting

State Project No. - 15685

 

 

Town of Hancock Main Street Corridor Project

MLS Job No. 8113.00

State Project No. - 15685

Prepared by Chad E. Branon

 

Present at the meeting:

           *6 Members of the Monthly Cultural Resource Meeting (complete name list not available)

           (Project Team)

           Jim Marshall, P.E. – NHDOT, Project Manager

           Chad E. Branon, P.E. - Meridian Land Services, Inc., Project Manager/Engineer

           Kurtis Grassett – Member of Village Planning Commission & DPW Director

           David Drasba - Member of Village Planning Commission & Historic Commission

           Michael Fallon - Member of Village Planning Commission

 

The Presentation was “basically” as follows:

 

Chad Branon from Meridian Land Services, Inc. stated that the town of Hancock needs to address deficiencies to the Main Street corridor to accommodate the growth, the increase in vehicular traffic and improve pedestrian activity in the town center. The Village Planning Commission has been meeting to review the contents of this project for over seven years and has been fielding local concerns and ideas along the way. The involvement of the residents of Hancock is essential to the progress of this project. The project schedule anticipates no less than three public hearings to review the design plans, answer any questions and field concerns and ideas of the Hancock residents. The Village Planning Commission and the residents of Hancock have expressed the importance of preserving the Town’s unique historic character while implementing the proposed improvements.

 

Chad Branon presented the details of the preliminary concept plan describing the need for the infrastructure improvements along the Main Street corridor. The improvements will consist of improving walkways, pathways, parking areas, street edging, drainage and pedestrian safety.

 

The walkways will be four feet wide and be constructed with a gravel material with a polymer soil additive. The walkways will be constructed on the north side of Main Street. The pathways will be two feet wide and will also be constructed with a gravel material. The pathways will be located on the south side of Main Street. The material selection was intended to be consistent and enhance the Historic District.

 

The parking, street edging, and drainage improvements are proposed to control the on-street parking, prevent erosion, and protect pedestrians and landscaping. Currently there is no control of on-street parking which has a negative impact on the aesthetics and function of the Main Street corridor. The street edging will define and control the on-street parking, provide a gutter-line for drainage and protect the landscaping along the corridor.

 

Pedestrian safety will be addressed through the combination of the improvements outlined above and proposed traffic calming measures. Traffic calming measures on the first conceptual design consist of roadway narrowing, pedestrian cross-walks, modifications to the existing Main Street alignment and proposed landscaping along the corridor.

 

Chad Branon mentioned that additional measures may be implemented on the east and west limits of the corridor in an effort to further mitigate the traffic and related speeds entering the town.

 

The Members of the Monthly Cultural Resource Meeting offered positive comments towards the project stating that the plan as presented would improve the historical setting along the main street corridor. The Members stated that no Archeological study would be required based on the plans presented but that this could change depending on the final concept. The Members agreed that they would like to see the final concept upon completion since the plan being presented was in preliminary form.

 

The Project Team then presented a very preliminary option to modify the common area in front of the town hall. This objective here would be to create a stopping condition at the intersection of Routes 123 and 137 which would mitigate traffic speeds and the straight appearance through the corridor as well as consolidating the common area. This was presented in a very preliminary form to generate feedback.

 

The Members of the Monthly Cultural Resource Meeting stated that this modification would likely result in an Archeological study and would take more time to complete. They recommended phasing this portion of the project if the town wished to pursue this design. The meeting concluded after this discussion.