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City of Keene E-News
Project Updates and Info
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November, 2023
In This Issue
- Lead Water Service Lines Inventory - Meeting EPA Requirements
- Island Street Bridge - Reopening in March 2024
- Downtown Infrastructure Improvement Project - Preliminary Design Phase
- Patricia T. Russell Park - Wonderful Park Improvements for East Keene
- 2023 Light Up The City Tour - Enter Your Home, Take the Tour!
- Accessory Dwelling Units - Keene Makes Updates
- City Council Goals
- Goose Pond Trail Improvements
- FlashVote - Keene Citizens Help Make Keene Better By Answering Quick Questions Online
- Free Continuing Education Courses Available Online - Keene Public Library
- Excellent Job Opportunities - Full-Time, Part-Time, and Internship Openings
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Water Service Inspection
LEAD SERVICE LINE INVENTORY (LSLI)
We are performing an inventory of all water service lines for the entire city to determine if any lead service lines exist in the City’s distribution system. This inventory is part of a Federal Lead and Copper Rule Revision set forth by the Environmental Protection Agency, specifically for a Lead Service Line Inventory. The goal of LSLI is to identify and replace all drinking water service lines comprised of lead as well as galvanized steel downstream of lead. Lead can leach into drinking water from corroded pipes, fixtures, and solder that is holding pipes together. It can cause serious health issues, especially for children and infants. To complete the list, it may be necessary for a City representative to request access to your home and ask for information to confirm the material of your water service line on your property. The LSLI will be made accessible to the public when it is completed.
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Island Street Bridge
REOPENING IN MARCH 2024
The projected opening date for the Island Street bridge is now March of 2024. We appreciate your patience, and we continue to work closely with our contractor to keep everything moving forward as much as possible.
Upcoming Island Street Work:
- Push-button installation for the pedestrian crosswalk beacons at the Island Street/Pearl Street roundabout
- Continued bearing pile installation for the northern abutment of the Island Street bridge
- Concrete pile cap construction for the northern abutment of the Island Street bridge
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Downtown Infrastructure Improvement Project
PRELIMINARY DESIGN PHASE
Last July, the City Council adopted the "Multilane Hybrid" conceptual design for the Downtown Infrastructure Improvement Project. The next phase will use this concept to develop the detailed plans and specifications required for construction. This will include multiple opportunities for community involvement. (For complete details on the Multilane Hybrid concept, presentation files and updates are posted on the project website.)
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ADOPTED: Multilane Hybrid Major Elements
- Upgrade and replace storm water, waste water, and water infrastructure
- Retain existing vehicle circulation pattern around Central Square
- Install traffic signal system for Central Square
- Retain two travel lanes in each direction on Main Street
- Eliminate parking in the Main Street median
- Include multi-modal facilities from approximately Water Street through Central Square
- Install a raised intersection connecting Railroad Square to Gilbo Avenue
- Maintain 2-way traffic on Gilbo Avenue
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NEXT: Preliminary Design Phase Components
- Environmental data collection and preparation of documents for National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review
- Preliminary design of utility infrastructure including video inspection, sizing, final locations, selection of green infrastructure elements, etc.
- Geotechnical work
- Refinement of layouts for travel lanes, curb lines, etc.
- Preliminary design of lighting, landscaping, sidewalk configuration, streetscape areas, etc.
- Refinement of on-street parking layout
- Refinement of multi-modal facilities and crosswalks
- Construction phase planning
- Preliminary construction estimates
- Federal grant writing assistance
- Public engagement including design workshops, Council committee meetings, and Council meetings
- Construction communication and engagement plan development with multiple working group meetings to discuss construction phase communication and support
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There are numerous ways to stay in the loop and to receive notifications of upcoming public meetings and input opportunities for this and other City projects.
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Patricia T. Russell Park
A WONDERFUL COMMUNITY SPACE
The new Patricia T. Russell Park on Carpenter Street has officially opened to the public. Improvements include a new playing field, parking, playground, walking track, bleacher seating, storm water improvements, and more. With additional grant funding recently announced, a space for the new skate park will also be prepared in the near future just beyond the parking area.
This is a wonderful new resource for Keene! We are very grateful to all who contributed to the planning and construction work, and also to the community for their patience while everything was coming together.
The park also serves as a way to remember former mayor, Patricia T. Russell, whose public service and commitment to her community have had such a positive impact.
Enjoy!
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2023 Light Up The City Tour
ENTER YOUR HOME - TAKE THE TOUR - VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITES
December 8th to December 22nd
Be sure to make the Recreation Center your first stop when Keene's 2023 Light Up the City Tour kicks off on December 8th! Community viewing and voting runs from 12/8-12/22. The Recreation Center will be open on 12/8 from 5:30-7:00 PM for you to drive through to see our lights, receive a tour map, and grab some hot cocoa, popcorn, and a candy cane to enjoy along the tour. This event is free and open to the public. If you'd like to enter your home to be on the tour map, please complete our entry form.
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Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU)
KEENE MAKES CHANGES TO SIMPLIFY ADU DEVELOPMENT
Accessory Dwelling Units help create affordable housing and age-in-place solutions that increase housing stock in our community. All single-family dwellings in NH are allowed an ADU. In Keene, regardless of zoning district, ADUs can now be attached or detached, up to 1,000 square feet in size, require only one parking space, and can be as close as ten feet from the rear property line. Think in-law suite, addition, finished basement, garage, cottage... (The property owner must live in either the main home or the ADU.)
Interested? Contact Community Development to learn more and submit a permit application.
Call (603) 352-5440, or start your permit application online.
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City Council Goals
COUNCIL ADOPTS GOALS FOR COMING 2 YEARS
Keene City Councilors held a workshop in September to review and update the Council Goals. These will be used by City staff in regular operations as well as in making recommendations for the annual budget and biennial capital improvement program.
- Manage Municipal finances and resources in a manner to minimize the burden to the property taxpayer.
- Support the diverse needs of all Keene residents.
- Support existing and new businesses along with the arts and other nonprofit organizations during the downtown reconstruction project.
- Infrastructure - Continue to ensure that Keene’s municipal infrastructure supports the varied needs of Keene residents and businesses.
- Find creative ways to make quality housing as affordable and available as possible.
- Environmental - Advance Keene's sustainable Energy plan and enhance Keene’s green infrastructure.
- Public engagement - Conduct effective, ongoing public communications and engagement with Keene residents and businesses and with other partners.
- Personnel recruitment and retention – employ strategies to ensure all authorized positions in the City are filled.
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FlashVote
KEENE CITIZENS HELP MAKE KEENE BETTER
FlashVote provides Keene citizens the opportunity to sign up to receive quick online surveys for current City topics, and it provides staff and the City Council with statistically accurate survey results. The surveys are posted 5 or 6 times per year, have no more than 5 questions, take a minute or less to complete, and are open for 2 days. Results are posted immediately and available to the public.
Our first two FlashVote surveys were about future design improvements for Robin Hood park and electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure. What will be next? Help us make Keene even better, and join over 400 citizens already signed up to weigh in on City projects and priorities.
Your opinion matters to us!
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Free Continuing Education Courses Online
KEENE PUBLIC LIBRARY
Universal Class offers over 500 free online non-credit Continuing Education Courses. These courses are led by expert instructors and are provided for your enrichment. Business, Career Training, Cooking, Real Estate, Crafts and Hobbies, and Psychology are a few of the subjects covered by these courses. You can sign up for five classes at a time and take up to six months to finish a course. A Keene Public Library card and an email address are required to register for a class.
Universal Class is now also available through the Libby app!
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Police Officer
Outreach Worker
Human Resources Professional
Crossing Guard
Building Mechanic
Maintenance Aide II - Parks
Motor Equipment Operator II - Highway
Motor Equipment Operator I - Highway
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Fire Training Officer
Call Firefighter
Commercial Driver's License Instructor
Sports Official
Librarian III - Head of Youth & Community Svcs
Makerspace Teaching Intern
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