Henniker residents press for crosswalk lights and sidewalks near New England College

Multiple Henniker residents, a town officer and the police department urged the corridor team to fix sidewalk gaps and improve crossing controls near New England College and downtown.

Officer Rachel Lacombe of the Henniker Police Department recommended "sidewalks up to the businesses, up to Davidson Road" and suggested reducing speeds on Bridge Street and Maple Street to 25 mph to improve safety for students and residents. Several residents described long waits to cross at the Main/Western Ave intersection and recommended either more flashing crosswalks or an 'activated' signal.

Residents also requested better illumination at student crossings and that the study include school-year counts to capture peak pedestrian activity. "We do have college students along with the public that walk up through that intersection, but also extending sidewalks down paths through the college," Officer Lacombe said, noting recent major crashes she has responded to that may be underrepresented in the presented crash maps.

Project staff acknowledged sidewalk gaps and said they would consider pedestrian-focused concepts as part of the follow-up design work.