Navigating New Hampshire’s Urban Paths

“75% of people who have their license suspended … end up driving anyway.“
— New York State Sen. Andrew Gounardes

Without a doubt, the driver behavior described above puts all of us at risk. What if we could allow such offenders to drive, but assisted by technology that would prevent the worst kinds of offenses? Read more below about precisely such an idea.

Let’s talk about:

the approaching Election Season
Stopping Super Speeders
NACTO City Limits
Manchester Charette Report
Londonderry Rail Trail Metrics
QCBC Extended Hours & Group Rides

Election Season

Election season approaches fast! Plus, Manchester has a primary!

Manchester’s primary is Tue Sept 16, with the general election following on Tue Nov 4.

Positions on the Ballot in Manchester:

Mayor
Alderman At-Large (2)
School Committeeman At-Large (2)
Alderman (1 for each of 12 Wards)
School Committee Member (1 for each of 12 Wards)
Moderator (1 for each of 12 Wards)
Ward Clerk (1 for each of 12 Wards)
Selectman (3 for each of 12 Wards)

Nashua has no primary this year, with their general election Tue Nov 4.

Positions on the Ballot in Nashua:

Alderman At-Large (3)
Ward Alderman (1 for each of 9 Wards)
Board of Education (4)
Fire Commissioner (2)
Board of Public Works (2)
Moderator (1 for each of 9 Wards)
Ward Clerk (1 for each of 9 Wards)
Selectmen (3 for each of 9 Wards)

Some of you will have candidates, or their volunteers, knocking on your door. When that happenes, ask their position on issues you care about. Where do they stand regarding Manchester’s recent Pine Street bike lane issue? What do they think about making crosswalks safer? Let them know these issues matter to you. Pedestrians, cyclists, and other vulnerable road users (VRUs) matter, and need your support and the support of our elected officials.

The Gory Details — In Manchester, you can register to vote in the primary up to Wed Sep 3, -OR- you can register at your voting location on the day of the primary. You can request an absentee ballot up to Monday Sept 15, the day before the primary, and you can return it as late as the day before at 5 pm.

Click link for How to Register to Vote in Manchester.
To register in Nashua, see this link and scroll near the bottom.
Click this link for Voting locations in Manchester.
Click this link for Voting locations in Nashua.

So get out and vote, remind your friends to vote, and let’s make out cities and towns better!

Stop Super Speeders

What is a Super Speeder? Trust me, it bears no relation to a super hero. A Super Speeder is a driver who has a history of extreme and/or repeated speeding. We’re talking over 100, 110, or even 120 mph. Oftentimes with multiple such offenses. These offenders are a small percentage of all drivers. But they can cause carnage far beyond their small population size. They can cause the deaths of other drivers, but especially at risk are vulnerable road users — anyone not wrapped in a protective cage of steel and iron.

“Safer Speeds” are one of five elements of the Safe Systems Approach described by the US DOT, encapsulating the need to reduce speeding violations and to lower speed limits in combination with improved road design.

In 2023, speeding killed 11,775 people in the US. Typically 27% of US traffic deaths involve speeding. It is a persistent problem.

The perception of persistent speeding can mask the reality that most drivers actually intend to follow the speed limit. Research shows that a minority of people, estimated to be between 12, 14 or 30 percent of drivers, are frequent speeders who tend to speed more often, at higher speeds, and with active disdain for speed limits.

Data from New York City shows that 1.5% of vehicles actually receive 6 or more speeding tickets per year, yet are involved in over 20% of pedestrian deaths.

In recent a years a new idea has emerged to help combat these frequent offenders. Just as judges can require interlock devices for drivers convicted of DUI, some states are now allowing judges to require intelligent speed assistance devices for drivers convicted of repeated or reckless speeding. Starting in 2024, Washington DC, Virginia, and Washington state have enacted such laws, thanks in part to the efforts of Families for Safe Streets.

Intelligent speed assistance devices help people drive the speed limit. They are required on new vehicles in the EU and have been recommended by the NTSB in the US. Trials with city-owned vehicles show strong reductions in speeding and acceptance by drivers. A recent survey from the IIHS (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety) showed that a majority of drivers would accept such devices in their vehicles.

Such devices benefit society at large by decreasing the likelihood of repeat speeding offenses, and they benefit the convicted offender by allowing them to continue to commute to their jobs, visit family and community members, places of worship, etc.

NACTO City Limits

Note: that’s NACTO, not Natbush, and it stands for the National Association of City Transportation Officials. They have a recent e-book called City Limits. Its a free PDF available for download at this link.

Over 40,000 people die in traffic crashes on U.S. roads each year, and millions more are seriously and often permanently injured. Traffic fatalities may seem like an intractable issue, but city governments have the power to reduce the frequency and severity of traffic crashes by reducing motor vehicle speeds.

Below is an example of the information found inside City Limits.

City Limits provides a consistent, rational, scalable approach to setting urban speed limits, from citywide strategies to corridor-by-corridor methods. Unlike existing national guidance, City Limits focuses on urban streets, which are often the most challenging scenarios for determining speed limits and are where the majority of pedestrian and cyclist fatalities occur.

City Limits offers city practitioners with guidance on how to strategically set speed limits on urban streets to reduce traffic fatalities and injuries using a Safe System Approach.

The guide gives methods that have been tested and documented in cities across North America:

Setting Default Speed Limits on many streets at once
Designating Slow Zones in sensitive areas
Setting Corridor Speed Limits on high-priority major streets using a Safe Speed Study

Cities can create better and safer outcomes for all by adopting these speed limit-setting practices as part of their programs to reduce traffic fatalities or to achieve Vision Zero (zero traffic fatalities).

Manchester Charette Report

Aug 6, 2025 — Plan NH releases the final report from our recent Community Design Charrette held in Manchester, NH. In April 2025, our multidisciplinary team visited Manchester to conduct a two-day charrette focused on reimagining key areas of the city through a lens of connectivity, accessibility, and vibrant placemaking. After touring the targeted downtown area and engaging with community members through public listening sessions, the charrette team developed a series of recommendations to help Manchester build upon its unique assets and plan thoughtfully for future growth.

See the full report in PDF format here.

Londonderry Trail Metrics

The Southern New Hampshire Planning Commission (SNHPC) counted users of the Londonderry Rail Trail over the last 5 months and issued the above graphic depicting their observations. Some great rich data here!

Note: there were nearly 30 thousand rides documented above. So when you hear someone say they never see people on bikes, send them this chart.

Queen City Bicycle Collective Extended Hours

In an attempt to get the most out of the remaining summer, Queen City Bicycle Collective has extended their hours.

Until September 13th, they’ll be open as follows:

Mondays – 2:00 PM to 7:00 PM
Tuesdays – 2:00 PM to 7:00 PM
Thursdays – 2:00 PM to 7:00 PM
Fridays – 2:00 PM to 7:00 PM
Saturdays – 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM

So if you need some parts or some guidance in working on your bike, stop in.

After the Tour of Manchester, they’ll switch back to their more traditional hours.

Queen City Bicycle Collective Group Rides

Only two more rides before the Tour of Manchester! But more after that. These are fun, low commitment events, no pre-registration required — just show up with your bike and helmet and an appetite for fun! Friday night rides often end someplace where you can grab a beer (bring lights if you have them), and Sunday rides often hit a coffee spot. And I cannot speak highly enough of the Tour of Manchester. Do not miss it!

Sun 31 Aug 10:00 AM — 35 Elm St
Fri 05 Sep 5:30 PM — 35 Elm St
Sun 14 Sep 8 AM to Noon — 780 N Commercial St
Fri 19 Sep 5:30 PM — 35 Elm St
Sun 28 Sep 10:00 AM — 35 Elm St

More about the Tour of Manchester here.

Join the “Queen City Bike Collective” club on Strava to stay updated about our group rides and join other members on individually organized rides. Or see details at website.

Call for Input

We very much want to hear from you! Do you have any questions or concerns? What topics would you like us to cover? Send your feedback our way and we’ll get on it! We want to ensure this column meets your needs.

Stay safe, cool, and hydrated, and have fun out there!

Note: The author is a member of the board of the Bike Walk Alliance of New Hampshire, but the views expressed in this article are his own.