Sunday Alton Traffic Jam

Island Girl · 07-15-2012, 09:02 PM

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 · 07-15-2012, 09:48 PM

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 · 07-16-2012, 04:32 AM

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 · 07-16-2012, 07:29 AM

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 · 07-16-2012, 09:01 AM

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

Really?

bigpatsfan · 07-16-2012, 10:58 AM

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 · 07-16-2012, 11:18 AM

Gilmanton did theirs yesterday morning, intersection of 140/107

Sunset · 07-16-2012, 11:29 AM

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 · 07-16-2012, 11:39 AM

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 · 07-16-2012, 02:21 PM

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).

Slickcraft · 07-17-2012, 11:00 AM

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...204423536.html

Jonas Pilot · 07-17-2012, 11:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 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...204423536.html

Good one.

bigpatsfan · 07-23-2012, 09:16 AM

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

07-15-2012, 09:02 PM	#1
Island Girl Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Central MA Posts: 2,352 Thanks: 18 Thanked 535 Times in 179 Posts	Sunday Alton Traffic Jam 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 __________________ Island Girl ....... Make Lemonade

07-16-2012, 02:21 PM	#10
RLW Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Alton Bay on the mountain by a lake Posts: 2,023 Thanks: 563 Thanked 444 Times in 311 Posts	*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). __________________ There is nothing better than living on Alton Mountain & our grand kids visits.

07-15-2012, 09:48 PM	#2
secondcurve Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 2,117 Thanks: 1,325 Thanked 559 Times in 288 Posts	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.

07-16-2012, 04:32 AM	#3
Slickcraft Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Welch Island and The Taylor Community Posts: 3,301 Thanks: 1,222 Thanked 2,087 Times in 955 Posts	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.

07-16-2012, 07:29 AM	#4
bigpatsfan Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 86 Thanks: 21 Thanked 15 Times in 9 Posts	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..

07-16-2012, 09:01 AM	#5
Lakesrider Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 2,129 Thanks: 380 Thanked 1,016 Times in 345 Posts	Yeah, maybe they could do a fund drive sometime in January when no one is around. Really?

The Following User Says Thank You to Lakesrider For This Useful Post:
AC2717 (07-16-2012)

07-16-2012, 10:58 AM	#6
bigpatsfan Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 86 Thanks: 21 Thanked 15 Times in 9 Posts	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??

07-16-2012, 11:18 AM	#7
Altonbayicefishingfool Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Posts: 153 Thanks: 19 Thanked 52 Times in 30 Posts	Gilmanton did theirs yesterday morning, intersection of 140/107

07-16-2012, 11:29 AM	#8
Sunset Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Posts: 1 Thanks: 1 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	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!

07-16-2012, 11:39 AM	#9
bigpatsfan Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 86 Thanks: 21 Thanked 15 Times in 9 Posts	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.

The Following User Says Thank You to RLW For This Useful Post:
Sunset (07-23-2012)

07-17-2012, 11:00 AM	#11
Slickcraft Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Welch Island and The Taylor Community Posts: 3,301 Thanks: 1,222 Thanked 2,087 Times in 955 Posts	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...204423536.html

07-23-2012, 09:16 AM	#13
bigpatsfan Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 86 Thanks: 21 Thanked 15 Times in 9 Posts	The “Mayor” has a soft spot for Fireman ever since he got stuck in a tree.

The Following User Says Thank You to bigpatsfan For This Useful Post:
Jonas Pilot (07-23-2012)