MINOT – The design for the reconstruction of Route 11 at Minot Corner, as well as the way the construction work has proceeded, was criticized at Monday night’s selectmen meeting.

Road manager Arlan Saunders told selectmen he had not heard back from MDOT officials regarding his concerns with the design for the approaches to Route 11 from Old Woodman Hill and Butler Hill roads.

Two weeks ago, Saunders reported that the school bus dragged a bit coming out of Butler Hill Road.

“We were misled in that the approaches are actually steeper than the original approaches were,” said Saunders.

Selectman Eda Tripp concurred with Saunders’ assessment, “Even my Buick rubs going down Butler Hill.”

Several area residents weighed in with complaints of other difficulties.

Lois Snowe-Mello, who represents Minot in the Legislature, observed that the turn onto Empire Road for east-bound drivers was as sharp as ever, requiring drivers to come pretty much to a dead stop before entering onto Empire Road.

“The contractor builds what the state designs and, either a lot of us misunderstood some things or we were told some untruths; whatever, safety has not been improved,” said Selectman George “Buster” Downing.

Nancy Fraser pointed out that at night, it’s very difficult to figure out exactly where the Empire Road turn is. She suggested better lighting and signs pointing the way. She also criticized the lack of road striping. Joan Houston took the state to task for not addressing safety issues.

“I cannot believe the state is putting it off; to wait for a fatality is totally ridiculous,” said Houston.

Selectman Steve French moved that Saunders be authorized to install a street light at the end of Empire Road as soon as possible. French’s motion received unanimous support, with the suggestion that Saunders consult lighting experts to ensure the new intersection has the best lighting possible.

Snowe-Mello said that she would contact MDOT officials to speed up a face-to-face meeting to discuss some of the design issues.

In response to residents who complained about Hemonds Moto-X park at the selectmen’s last meeting, selectmen accepted the Planning Board’s recommendations and timetable for the Hemonds to demonstrate that their track is in compliance with noise level limits.

The Planning Board’s recommendations gives the Hemonds until July 6 to demonstrate their ability to comply with the noise limits.

Tripp reported that she had searched town meeting records and was unable to find evidence that the table in the town ordinance specifying noise levels by decibels was ever formally approved.

According to Tripp, the March 2000 town meeting amended the ordinance with a statement referring to attachments that would contain the amendments. The decibel level table was not in the attachment.

This led to a discussion of what decibel level the Hemonds should strive to meet in their construction work plan for early spring.

French suggested that if Hemond made plans that would meet the ordinance’s apparent limit of 55 decibels, they would at least be well within the state’s 60 decibel noise limit. The state’s limit would apply if it is found that the town ordinance does not have an approved noise limit.

French reported that the town’s try for an Emergency Management Agency grant will be reviewed in mid-December. French said grant money would be used by the town’s fire and rescue department to purchase a cascade system for compressed air bottles, new portable radios, a base radio, and for an accountability system, which would give the Fire Department a more secure way of determining who is at an emergency scene.

Selectman also announced that they were accepting applications for college scholarships that the town makes through the Arthur Harris and the Leonard Simion/Elsa Simion Fortin funds. Information for applicants is available at the town office. The deadline for applying for the scholarships is Jan. 4.

Copy the Story Link