Road Lines Better Defined

The town has adopted a more consistent approach to roadway markings in town with an updated Roadway Markings Policy, halting future repainting on certain roads.

Director of Public Works Bruce Berry and Police Chief Peter Lyon, who also serves as Highway Safety Chairman, presented the edited policy to the Select Board in late June. The board unanimously moved to approve the changes.

Berry said that he has been striping the same roads for 10 years, but some of them are not as important to continue painting. The lines down the middle of the road help identify the separate sides of two-way roads.

“Whenever possible, we follow the manual on uniform traffic control put together by federal government and adopted by state of New Hampshire, but there are always other circumstances you need to consider,” said Berry.

For example, he said that Dodge Road is mainly a residential road and does not need to have striping put in for safety.

Also added to the policy is the continued painting of fog lines on Amherst Street and Merrimack Road. This white line on the side of those roads helps keeps motorists on the pavement during times of heavy fog.