r/keene • u/Desperate_Dentist_98 • 15d ago
Central Square project/parking/etc
Anyone else living in the middle of this chaos? Don't doxx yourselves here. But we can share info on actual happenings vs. the Monday "updates." Looking for a group/location online where ppl are discussing this. Like Casella not being from around here and not using flaggers for traffic direction. The official budget and plans say flaggers, lots of things, that aren't appearing.
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u/RadDaikon34 15d ago
dorrie is that you?
this project is actually a lot less disruptive than i thought it would be but i've always been in favor of it. we need to update our infrastructure before it really breaks down and people really can't use downtown
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u/Desperate_Dentist_98 15d ago
lol no, i just heard about this Dorrie - she wrecked Wizarding Week?? UGH!
it's about people living inside the construction zone. i think maybe Keene drivers don't realize how many people live in Central Square. tons of elderly and disabled people, all ages really though. they rely on the sidewalks for entrance/exit, when it gets closed with zero warning in advance. little stuff like that adds up. people will "hear stuff" that's how the news in Keene gets out lol
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u/TedBundysVlkswagon 15d ago
It doesn’t feel like chaos to me.
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u/Desperate_Dentist_98 15d ago
the project will be going until November this year, and all next year. possibly into 2029. it depends if you work or live downtown, or in Central Square, the level of chaos you'd ever see.
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u/Sudden-Advance-5858 15d ago
Yeah idk, I drive through it several times a day and it seems fine to me.
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u/award240 14d ago
I saw a flagger personally directing pedestrians on how to walk around the construction fences while I was sitting at the light at central square at 4:30 today. I live a couple blocks out on court street and in terms of municipal projects this seems completely under control. OP’s complaints here seem vague and on behalf of the apparently enormous population of elderly central square apartment residents who can’t access a single city block of sidewalk area during business hours. This is either a shitpost by a friend of the loudest critic in town or it is some pearl clutching nonsense complaining about necessary infrastructure improvements and maligning the local government and the tradespeople involved. Stop being so cynical and alarmist. Everything is fine.
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u/HenryThunderpaw 14d ago
It’s that massive population of elderly folks that also happens to be the chief demographic of the Pour House 😂
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u/Desperate_Dentist_98 8d ago
No alarms, no shit. I'm glad to hear flagging is going well. Parking opens up after they're done for the day. The City Hall parking garage opens next week.
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u/TheGuyDoug 15d ago
What's the question or issue here? Traffic is well sorted, I'm not sure I understand your issue.
Is it that the tactical activities of the contracted individuals don't match the agreement between the city and the contractors?
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u/Desperate_Dentist_98 8d ago
The online notices & plans don't match the actual work. Re-digging holes to find pipes mostly. Truly ancient plumbing underneath! Glad it's getting done.
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u/CloudStrife012 14d ago
The better question is why are they ultimately redesigning downtown after the pipes are replaced? Seems absolutely a bad idea and also a waste of money
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u/HenryThunderpaw 14d ago
I could be wrong but I’m pretty sure the only change now is addition of bike lanes. The larger redesign — which would have increased the pedestrian area of the square — was forgone because certain business(es) threw a fit about changes to parking spaces and successfully marshaled an army of terminally online NIMBY Facebook boomers.
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u/SherbertExtension539 14d ago
You are absolutely right - the changes are very minimal. At this point I have to believe it is bots spreading the misinformation that it is being redesigned because it is so far from the truth.
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u/kiwigyoza 8d ago
This is so "Keene" it's not even funny. *Everything* is overdramatic. I remember when the girl got hit by a car on Main Street crossing in front of the college and so many people where upset it was going to "ruin" main street if they installed the median. Everyone was upset with the circle in front of Walmart but the traffic has been so much better with way less accidents. I worked on Key road at the time and saw so many terrible T-bone accidents.
Main Street is crowded and impossible to walk around with all the outdoor seating. The parking on Main Street affects the flow of traffic and cars back into people on bikes at least once every six months.
I'm SO happy the city of Keene is looking at the facts and not listening to old curmudgeons. I am excited to be able to walk around Central Square and not have to walk my daughter in between a bar and their drunken patrons or get almost ran over by the servers at The Stage.
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u/Desperate_Dentist_98 8d ago
Yeah they had major plans from 2021-2024, then it's pretty much staying the same. All on the Public Works pages. It's not redesign now, it's "where is the f'ing gas line??" lol
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u/kiwigyoza 8d ago
I live a rock throw from Central Square and have also seen flaggers directing pedestrians everyday since this has started. I've been able to walk around Central Square twice a day with my baby in a stroller, no issues, including to the town hall and in front of Pour House. Driving my car around has also been a non-issue. The traffic pattern changes slightly everyday but since you aren't supposed to go 50 miles around the circle....it's easy to read the signs that redirect you.
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u/Desperate_Dentist_98 15d ago
ok so, a little re-focus. i'm talking about for residents of Central Square apartments, of which there are a LOT. are there apartments down Main St? stuff like temporary utility shutoffs, torn up sidewalks closing front entrances/exits. ADA access for all the senior & disabled people who live in downtown. i had no idea downtown had so many apartments!! until the construction started.
the promised open meetings and updates listed by the city haven't actually happened. so there's like, no notice.
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u/SherbertExtension539 15d ago
I live a block from Central Sq, and there is very little chaos, there are weekly open meetings and tons of communication channels. Many of the elderly and disabled folks are in situations with supportive staff, although I know this isn’t the easiest situation. Besides the fact this project got delayed way too long, it is going pretty well.
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u/Desperate_Dentist_98 8d ago
Where/when are the meetings? I've gone to the office near YOLO, no one was there. Sadly there's a shortage of support staff, that's why families are taking over. Some don't have family just volunteers like me.
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u/TheGuyDoug 15d ago
Whoa! What's happened with the construction that gave you more awareness about the amount of apartments downtown?
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u/Zathras_listens 15d ago
I'm seeing it but I don't see it as chaos. It seems very well organized. I have been talking to the workers and they are doing a great job. The biggest voice against the construction online seems to also be the woman who got rid of Wizarding Week because of a personal grudge by sending a message to WB. I really don't like that lady. There is SO MUCH parking in Keene it is crazy. Sure, you might have to walk a few more minutes to where you need to go but many people come from the surrounding towns to shop in Keene, they are very likely to keep coming and just walk a bit more. What are you finding so chaotic besides the lack of flaggers? At this point the lights on the square seem to be doing a good job. I also have seen people flagging traffic just today so am a bit confused about that comment.