WHITE RIVER JUNCTION — For motorists who regularly drive downtown from Fairview Terrace via Gates Street, it’s still all downhill from here — for now.
Hartford officials told the Selectboard last week that the narrow, 400-foot stretch of Gates Street will remain divided between a downhill-only lane for vehicle traffic and a pedestrian walkway at least through the coming summer.
During that period, and possibly beyond, engineers from Pathways Consulting will continue to monitor the condition of an aging retaining wall whose tendency to migrate prompted the town to close that stretch of the street entirely between December 2017 and last fall, amid fears it might collapse into the street.
“The next step will be more engineering analysis, to develop long-term repair strategies,” Public Works Director Hannah Tyler said on Tuesday. “Down the line, there will be quite a bit of public engagement, to find out what is palatable to everyone.”
Before the town closed that stretch of Gates, some 650 vehicles a day, combined up and down, traveled on it.
Tyler said that the most recent estimate of making it safe for two-way traffic, about six years ago, envisioned a cost of $4 million.
“We typically anticipate that the increased cost of construction year-to-year is 10 percent,” Tyler said. “If we went with (the two-way) strategy, we’d be looking at something closer to five (million).”
Selectboard member Kim Souza sees no reason to rush the process, particularly the continued scrutiny of the retaining wall.
“When we first closed it, I was hearing complaints and concerns from residents,” Souza said. “When we did re-open, they expressed that that was a helpful interim step.”
Tyler added that she’s both observing and hearing good reviews about the current arrangement, particularly when Public Works sweeps debris and cuts vegetation back from the walkway.
“Every time I’m out there, I see people walking or biking on that side,” Tyler said. “It’s been a good experiment.”
David Corriveau can be reached at dcorriveau@vnews.com and at 603-727-3304.