STRONG — Voters at Tuesday’s special town meeting will be asked to decide three issues, including whether to close Chandler Road to all through traffic.

The meeting will be at 6 p.m. July 12 at the Forster Memorial Building.

One article asks voters to approve closing the Chandler Road to all but residents who live there. Several of those residents asked selectman to close the south end of the narrow route, allowing access only at the former CAT Lumber intersection.

Built more than a half-century ago, the narrow town way was unpaved until 10 years ago. During the last decade, though, the route has become a shortcut for drivers who travel north from Farmington or south from Philips. There are four school bus stops for 19 children, according to Chandler Road resident and Selectman Joan Reed.

The road has a “No Trucks” and a 30-mph speed limit sign posted, Chandler Road resident Niles Yeaton said, but that doesn’t stop large recreational vehicles and trucks towing wide trailers from traveling by his house regularly, often at high speeds.

“I’ve even seen tour buses go by, and this road was never built to handle that kind of traffic,” he said. “It’s not safe to even walk on the road.”

State and county deputies have warned and ticketed speeders, but the town does not have regular police coverage.

Commuter traffic has increased over the past decade, because the paved road is also a half-mile shorter. Yeaton noted that mornings and evenings are especially busy.

The Saddleback Ski Resort has expanded, so skiers heading north add to the high volume of traffic, he said. That, in turn, overburdens the pavement, requiring the town to spend more on maintenance.

Those against closing the Chandler Road suggest the increased traffic at the intersection of Routes 145 and 4 at the Sandy River bridge will mean more accidents. The sharp curve on Route 4 had been scheduled for reconstruction, but cuts in the Maine Department of Transportation budget have postponed that plan.

A second article revisits the selectmen’s request to have the town take over management responsibilities on its shared septic system. When the system was built, seven users, including the town offices, paid fees to an association. Currently, the septic system, which is across the town’s Main Street, is used only by the town and two households.

Attorney Paul Mills verified that the town owns the property and has a right of way to service it as needed. In March, voters had expressed reluctance to make a decision without more information about ownership and details of the change of management.

A third article asks voters to approve the Water Board’s acceptance of a $400,000 state grant to rebuild deteriorating water pipes on Lambert Hill, Church Hill and High Street. The Water Board received voter approval to apply for the funding and recently held a public hearing. The vote at the town meeting is a required final step to receive the funds and start the project.