The city manager’s office sent out the City Manager’s Newsletter last Friday. The full newsletter can be found by going to concordnh.gov and clicking the “Newsletter” button. Here are some highlights:
Boat registrations
Boat renewals are sent from the state in January and can be mailed in to the state or processed at the City Collections Office. (There are additional fees when processing at the Collections Office).
The City of Concord can process boat registrations regardless of residency.
Boats that meet the following criteria must be registered in the State of New Hampshire:
Any boat being used in New Hampshire more than 50% of the time.
Any out of state resident using the boat in New Hampshire for more than 30 consecutive days.
Any watercraft that has a motor (including electric motors).
All motorized vessels, regardless of size, and any sailboat that is greater than 12 feet is required to be registered in the State of New Hampshire.
Additional information can be found at nh.gov/safety/divisions/dmv/registration/boat.htm.
Road Load Limits
The City of Concord began posting “No Trucking – Load Limit 9 Tons” signs on Monday to protect roads during the spring thaw. Weight restrictions are posted on roads to help minimize additional road damage from heavy vehicles on weakened road structures. Road structures are naturally weakened around this time of year from the frequent freezing and thawing cycles. The fluctuating temperatures can cause the ground to shift, leading to cracks in the pavement. Frost heaves are formed when snow and rain get through the cracks and freeze underneath the roads, expanding the road upwards. As temperatures warm, the ground thaws and the roads contract back down, causing breaks in the pavement, potholes, and weak road structures. The road load limits of 9 tons will not affect the average car or truck, but will impact heavy construction vehicles and commercial trucking. Road load limits will continue as long as conditions require, but will likely remain in place until the end of March or beginning of April depending on the weather and road conditions. Limits will not be removed until all snow has melted and ditches are clear of any standing water. The City of Concord does not issue permits for drivers for spring load limits. Drivers can call Concord General Services at 228-2737 to request for travel permissions if necessary of 1-2 loads before noon. Find the list of streets that will be posted in Concord and more information at concordnh.gov/springoperations.
Parking app
PayByPhone was launched on Feb. 3. The app can be used to pay for parking at any metered parking space downtown (just look for the green and black stickers on meters and kiosk pay stations). During the month of February, a total of 5,566 PayByPhone transactions were processed totaling approximately $12,800. After credit card and other transaction fees, net revenues to the City were approximately $11,000. PayByPhone, which can be downloaded installed on any smart phone, is very easy to use and has been well received by the community. More information about the app, including tips and FAQs, please visit concordnh.gov/parking.
Parking Meter Replacement
Beginning about March 23, the Parking Division will begin replacement of 140 mechanical parking meters with new IPS smart meters. The mechanical meters have been in service for more than 20 years and are beyond their useful life. City administration is able to expedite replacement of these mechanical meters due to available surplus funds from other recently completed meter projects. The new smart meters will be able to accept coin and credit card payments, and are also compatible with PayByPhone mobile payments. Mechanical meters will be replaced at the following locations: Prince Street, City Auditorium Parking Lot, Library Parking Lot, Green Street, Park Street (State to Green), Capitol Street (State to Green), South State Street, South State Street (Pleasant to Wall), North State Street, and Center Street (Main to Green). Once completed, the City will have approximately 170 mechanical meters left to replace. City Administration plans to include a proposal for the replacement of the remaining 170 mechanical meters, as well as all 85 kiosk pay stations currently in service, as part of the FY 2021 budget which will be presented to the City Council in May.
Parking forum
The Parking Committee will hold a public forum on March 30 at 7 p.m. in City Council Chambers to discuss narrow street issues for the Wall Street neighborhood. This is the fourth and final neighborhood to be reviewed as part of the narrow streets study. The Wall Street Neighborhood study area is roughly bounded as follows: Pleasant Street, South State Street, West Street, and South Spring Street. All are welcome to attend.
School Street Garage
Given the early arrival of spring, work is ramping up at the project. The crew is making good progress on the new maintenance/storage room. In addition, concrete repairs on Levels 1 and 2 are progressing. It is anticipated that installation of the glass curtain wall on the new south stair tower will begin in approximately 4 to 6 weeks. The project is scheduled to be completed in August.
Closures
The following facilities will be closed through April 3 (at this time-timeline to be evaluated): Beaver Meadow Golf Course, Concord Parks and Rec Department Community Centers (City Wide Community Center, Green Street, West Street Ward House, Merrimack Lodge), Concord Public Library (all branches), The Audi, and Everett Arena. All programs at these locations are also canceled at this time. We are strongly encouraging the public to utilize online resources whenever possible; a list of resources is available on our website.
