WILTON – A bid to pave Lake Road from Main Street to Walker Hill Road was accepted with a 4-1 vote Tuesday night by selectmen, and other changes to make the road safer will be explored.

Selectmen accepted a bid of $135,000 from Bruce Manzer of Anson to pave the first section of the road after voters approved $196,000 for road repairs at Monday’s town meeting.

“Time is of the essence. We need to get on the schedule of pavers,” said Selectman Russell Black, as the board considered paving Lake Road or putting it off for another year.

About 20 board members and Lake Road residents walked part of the road Tuesday prior to a public hearing to gather more information about the conditions and possible solutions.

Safety was a main concern for residents who, along with others, like to walk and bike the scenic road around the lake. With narrow stretches and curves along the road and places where crumbling rocks fall into the water on the lakeside, people expressed concern about speeding vehicles as well as large trucks on the road.

“It’s pretty dangerous,” said Peg Ploof, who said she walks every day, usually on Lake Road.

“Paving will only make it more of a racetrack,” said Melissa Ellis, who has tried to post “slow down” signs along her property only to have them destroyed.

During the walk and public hearing, residents and selectmen discussed putting in a sidewalk and making the road one-way as well as considering removable speed bumps and weight limitations for trucks.

“Our goal is to make the road safer,” Ellis said.

The road, formerly the state’s Route 2, was turned over to the town when the new highway was built. The town was given about a 66-foot right of way, said Selectman Terry Brann, who wanted to keep the road two-way but widen the pavement.

As the group walked, concerns about taking property from homes already close to the road and the need to move light poles and cut trees was considered. Most agreed that a one-way road appeared to be a solution that would cover these concerns.

Residents also agreed that a sidewalk, whether raised or striped, should be on the water side.

Highway Foreman John Welch suggested that, if done, the one-way should be from Gilbert Street to Walker Hill Road to avoid the public lake area and side streets.

Concerns about stabilizing the road on the lake side where rocks have fallen and left gaping holes in places was discussed and budgeted for last year, Welch told the board. Plans to apply riprap and add rocks to fill some of the voids is already on the work schedule, he said.

“Until we walked it tonight, I didn’t realize how bad the shoreline was,” said Black. “The road has brought more calls than any other road in town. It’s a valuable piece of road used by a lot of pedestrians.”

After accepting the paving bid, the board asked Town Manager Peter Nielsen to research costs to add speed bumps, widen the pavement by 4 feet and assign weight limits.