Sunday Alton Traffic Jam

[Island Girl]

Does anyone know why the traffic in Alton was backed up around 6-6:30 pm, Sunday, July 15. We finally turned around and took backroads through Gilmanton to avoid sitting there any longer.

Thanks
IG

[secondcurve]

The craft fair in Alton was releasing at the same time the weekend outbound traffic was peaking. The Alton police department was directing traffic in an attempt to alleviate the tie up. In my opinion, if they stayed home the traffic would have unsnarled quicker.

[Slickcraft]

Race traffic heading back to eastern NH and Maine added to the volume. In addition the Alton Fire Dept had been running a "boot drive" on Main Street in the afternoon.

[bigpatsfan]

It was the Fireman’s “boot drive” that held up the traffic. Once you cleared their pandering, the traffic moved right along.

Hopefully the Town will not allow this “fund raising” to occur again during such a huge traffic period.

note that the craft fair was long done by evening..

[Lakesrider]

Yeah, maybe they could do a fund drive sometime in January when no one is around.

Really?

[bigpatsfan]

Yea, really.

Do not pick the busiest day of the year to hold up traffic to fund raise. Why is it only the fire department that can put people in the street collecting money for a private organization.

Why not the boy scouts, the school band..etc?

I get the need to fundraise. Just not a fan of someone holding up traffic in order to fund raise.

So instead of stopping off at a local restaurant or ice cream stand on their way back from the track, the race fans got to spend 20 minutes in traffic as they try to get through Alton.

Alton FD can work a deal with Loudon and do their fund raising there or off the road on Rt16 or Rt28.

Can you imagine if every town did this??

[Altonbayicefishingfool]

Gilmanton did theirs yesterday morning, intersection of 140/107

[Sunset]

We were coming down 28 south from Wolfeboro area around 6:30. Traffic was at a dead stop a half mile before Hannafords. There were 2 Alton police officers controlling traffic into the Alton traffic circle from 28 and Alton Bay. The issue was how long they were holding the traffic lines. I sat and watched the officer hold our line for over 12 minutes. It was maddening and it was backed up on 28 for miles as I am sure it was in Alton Bay as well. They should just let the traffic circle flow the way it was engineered to do!

[bigpatsfan]

Every organization, with any smarts, is going to look for ways to suck off the huge draw that is Loudon. From hotels to restaurants to general stores. All the power to them.
Personally, I get ticked when my path is impeded by someone looking for a hand out.

[RLW]

http://i44.tinypic.com/1499wms.gif Sunset, I just noticed that you are fairly new to the forum and glad you have joined us. Have fun and enjoy the Winni Forum while making many new friends.
That condition happens every year just about. The town fathers had a long discussion about allowing the permit for the boot drive and they decided to give it to them and tell them not to stop and talk to everyone that goes through. Hopefully next year they will give it a lot more thought in granting the permit. I am sure there were other reasons for the traffic delay such as the Craft Fair and just the end of the 2 week vacation period and also Alton traffic controllers (police).

http://i54.tinypic.com/2e56yqf.gif

[Slickcraft]

I'll bet that the mayor of Talkeetna, Alaska would not have put up with the boot drive nonsense.
http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/cat-mayor-alaska-town-15-years-204423536.html

[Jonas Pilot]

I'll bet that the mayor of Talkeetna, Alaska would not have put up with the boot drive nonsense.
http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/cat-mayor-alaska-town-15-years-204423536.html

Good one. :)

[bigpatsfan]

The “Mayor” has a soft spot for Fireman ever since he got stuck in a tree. :laugh: