A Second Attempt for Paved Aprons and Part of Priest Road - This Time with Ledge Farm
A closer look at Warrant Article #16
Here’s 2026 Warrant Article #16:
To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $300,000 (Three Hundred Thousand Dollars) for highway reconstruction and maintenance of Town roads, including but not limited to paving a section of Priest Road to the rear access of the Fire Station; paving approaches on dirt roads throughout Town as prioritized by the Public Works Director; and paving approximately one-third (1/3) mile of Ledge Farm Road extending from the existing pavement, or such other Town roads as may become a priority. This is a non-lapsing appropriation per RSA 32:7, VI and will not lapse until the work is complete or not later than December 31, 2027, whichever occurs earlier.
Majority vote required.
The Select Board recommends this appropriation (5-0-0)
The Budget Committee recommends this appropriation (10-1-0)
The estimated tax impact is $0.205 per $1,000 of property valuation
This warrant article has much in common with a 2024 warrant article that the voters rejected 648 to 607. Both warrant articles include paving part of Priest Road and paving at intersections where dirt roads meet paved roads. The difference this time is that Ledge Farm Road has been substituted for Stevens Hill Road, which got paved last year.
Here’s the 2024 warrant article:
One difference this year is that support for the spending from the Budget Committee is greater. This year it is 10 to 1 instead of 2024’s 6 to 5. The voters’ guide provided by the board does not include additional detail about the rationale for these specific projects.
Will this enhanced endorsement change voters’ minds, or will voters still be opposed to enough of these three projects that they will reject the warrant article like they did in 2024?
We’ll find out on March 11.
Here’s more detail about the three proposed projects.
Priest Road
The board has again proposed paving a short section of Priest Road between Rt 152 and the gated rear entrance of the Fire Station. Here’s a 2024 video of that section of road.
Paved Aprons
The other repeat from 2024 is for paving a short section of the entrances to various unspecified dirt roads, as prioritized by the Highway Director. Dirt road entrances that meet higher-speed paved roads are prone to potholes, as vehicles accelerating onto the pavement loosen and displace gravel. A paved apron can reduce this type of potholing and gravel displacement. It also makes grading safer by reducing the time the grader must tread onto the main paved road.
Here’s an example photo of a paved apron.
Ledge Farm Road
The third road project in the warrant article is to pave a section of Ledge Farm Road. This third part of the proposal is new, and not part of the rejected 2024 proposal.
Here’s a video of that section of road.
I will be voting yes on this article. Many years ago I brought the same concern to the BOS and it was tabled. The concern I raised had to do with getting onto the paved part of Gile Rd from 125. Abruptly going from paved to dirt (or mud -- even worse) poses, particularly when someone is following closely which tends to happen on 125, is not comfortable and somewhat dangerous. Particularly egressing from 125 as the speeds are typically 45-55 and have to be down to 15 or 20 tops to avoid damaging the car and/or sliding on the mud. The dirt part of Gile rd is the one and only alternative path from the Fire station and Police station to the eastern parts and pawtuckaway parts of town when rte 125 is flooded, so it is more important from strictly emergency services rapid response between sections of town. Gile rd gets muddy and difficult to pass. At a minimum I think it is justified to have the aprons paved. Mark Carpenter, former Selectman (2012-2016)