Keene Council Keeps Single-Lane Plan for Central Square

Mayor Jay Kahn said the city could still revisit the layout after construction if the change proves necessary.

Plans for traffic through Central Square will stay as approved after the Keene City Council on Thursday night voted 11–3 against returning the north side of the square to two lanes.

The decision came after a lengthy discussion centered on the city’s Downtown Infrastructure Improvement Project, which is reshaping streets, utilities and the downtown streetscape. Councilors weighed whether the current one-lane setup would create backups or make it harder for drivers to move through the area, but the majority concluded the approved design should remain in place.

The version backed by the council keeps vehicles in one lane as they pass across the north side of the square before splitting off toward Court Street, West Street or Main Street. A competing proposal would have created two 11-foot lanes instead.

Supporters of the two-lane option argued that a single lane could slow traffic, make merging more difficult and limit access for people heading into downtown businesses. Others said the original layout better protects people walking and biking through the area and fits the broader goals of the project.

The debate has been building for weeks. Councilor Randy Filiault asked that the issue be revisited, and the Municipal Services, Facilities and Infrastructure Committee took it up in October. That committee recommended keeping the one-lane arrangement in a 4–1 vote, a recommendation the full council followed Thursday.

Public Works Director Don Lussier has said the design reflects the tight space around Central Square and the need to manage several vehicle movements at once, including traffic approaching a proposed raised crosswalk. In some places, he noted, drivers will have less than 100 feet to position themselves before the lanes divide.

Mayor Jay Kahn, who has favored a two-lane approach, recently said the city could still revisit the layout after construction if the change proves necessary. Lussier has also said pavement markings could be used later to adjust how traffic flows if the first version does not work well.

By the end of the discussion, however, councilors rejected the amendment to restore two lanes and accepted the committee’s recommendation to keep the current plan.

The meeting also included several other items. The council recognized Keene State College’s men’s and women’s ice hockey teams and approved a proclamation honoring veterans before Veterans Day.

City officials announced that the 100 Nights Shelter is set to open December 7 and remain available for four months. Volunteer training is scheduled for November 9 and November 16 at 5:30 p.m. at the United Church of Christ.

Keene’s Veterans Day observance will be held November 11 at 11 a.m. at the Recreation Center at Fuller Field. City Hall will be closed that day, along with November 26 and 27 for Thanksgiving.

The council also reviewed upcoming committee schedules. The Planning, Licenses and Development Committee is slated to meet November 12 at 5:30 p.m., followed by the Finance, Operations and Personnel Committee at 7 p.m. The Municipal Services, Facilities and Infrastructure Committee will meet next on November 25 at 5:30 p.m., with Finance, Operations and Personnel again set for 7 p.m.

Residents, downtown business owners and others interested in the infrastructure work are being encouraged to attend Keene Public Works’ monthly Coffee and Hard Hats meetings for project updates and feedback.