Turn lanes or roundabout? Committee schedules presentations on Route 66/87 alternatives

A CRAG technical memorandum outlining two alternatives to improve the Route 66/87 intersection—left-turn lanes versus a roundabout—prompted extended committee discussion. The memorandum included level-of-service projections showing worsening congestion over 25 years, and a crash table; members noted that while turn lanes are cheaper in the near term, a roundabout may offer longer-term traffic-calming and aesthetic benefits.

Speakers exchanged experience-based concerns. One member with prior state police experience said a roundabout can lead to driver confusion and more crashes if motorists do not understand how to navigate it; others countered that roundabouts tend to keep traffic moving while reducing speed. Several members worried about construction and design costs and whether the town could qualify for grants to cover design and construction. The committee agreed to ask two members to prepare five-minute presentations on each alternative and report back at the next meeting to inform a future advisory recommendation to the Board of Selectmen.

No final decision was made at the meeting; the chair asked members to gather additional information, including consulting the T2 center and DOT on design costs and constructability, before recommending a preferred alternative.