Residents urge partial closure of failing West Street as town weighs grants, barriers

Perry Hunt and other West Street residents asked the Select Board on Aug. 31 to close the middle portion of West Street to through traffic and reroute vehicles via Joseph Street, saying a portion of the road that slipped into the river in 2020 is now failing.

Residents told the Board that local drivers and GPS-routed tourists are placing more traffic on West Street than it was designed for, and that repairing the failed segment may be beyond town resources. The proposal described blocking the west end after the McKinnons' property and the east end after 222 West St (Tetreault’s driveway) so the section that slid would be isolated. The residents asked the town to pursue grants to fund an engineering study and repairs, and to assess whether a permanent closure would meaningfully affect residents of the street.

Town members discussed the proposal and the possibility of applying for grant funding and an engineering assessment. No formal motion to close the road was recorded; the Board indicated it would explore funding options and study the impacts on traffic patterns and access.