MANCHESTER, N.H. – A traffic redesign of a downtown area better known as the Theatre Block received support during the Manchester Board of Mayor and Aldermen’s St. Patrick’s Day meeting, but not without plenty of opposition.
A special meeting of the Manchester Board of Mayor and Aldermen’s Committee on Public Safety, Traffic and Health a day earlier recommended the changes, triggered by the opportunity of federal funding for downtown infrastructure improvements and refined during public input sessions in April, August and November of 2025 as well as meetings with the downtown business community before concerns were raised in February that put a halt on the proposal’s potential approval.
Within the proposal, the layout of Hanover Street from Chestnut Street to Elm Street, currently at three lanes, would become a “sliding” one lane street that would create enlarged sidewalks jutting into the street in certain areas and creating enlarged sidewalk bumpouts and specified pick-up/drop-off areas.
A total of 35 people testified during the meeting’s public comment session. Many focused on upcoming school budget deliberations, but nine spoke in support of the Hanover Street proposal and eight spoke against it in some form or fashion.
Opponents speaking during the public comment session expressed concern with the removal of street parking, confusion over specifics of the plans and a lack of notice over the meetings last week. Bob Singer, owner of Café at Bravo on the southern side of Hanover Street in the Theatre Block, said that his landlord did not inform him of the proposal or meetings about the proposal.
Several representatives of the Palace Theatre also spoke in opposition to the plan, but all other local downtown business leaders spoke in favor of the idea.
Nick Carnes, General Manager or Shopper’s Pub and Eatery, told the board that a poll of downtown small business owners had been taken on the proposal, and a total 97 percent of respondents spoke in favor of it. Carnes also spoke against the idea that people had not been given the ability to weigh in on the proposal given the 2025 meetings and that a few people that did not take the opportunity to weigh in before an option was chosen based on that community feedback would come in and try to overturn that feedback.
“How can the objections of a few parties outweigh months of public engagement and overwhelming community support? Do the voices of taxpayers and small business owners carry weight in this process—or are some voices given more consideration than others?” asked Carnes. “Because if this project is voted down tonight, it won’t just be about a sidewalk. It will signal that even when the community shows up, participates, and overwhelmingly supports a project— that still may not be enough. And that raises a serious question about whether this process reflects the will of the community or the influence of a select few.”
Later in the meeting Alderman At-Large June Trisciani echoed these sentiments.
“I want to build a city that brings young people to the city and support them,” she said. “I appreciate everything that these larger businesses have contributed and I will never look at a gift horse in the mouth, but I don’t believe that gives you extra status.”
Other Aldermen spoke in favor of the idea. Ward 1 Alderman Bryce Kaw-uh said that the loss of parking on Hanover Street would be minimal given nearby parking garages. Ward 3 Alderman Dana Dexter, who represents the area where the proposal is located, said that his constituents spoke overwhelmingly in favor of the changes and that they would make the area safer and speed up passenger transfers from buses stopping in front of the Palace Theatre.
However, not all Alderman felt comfortable with the proposal. Alderman At-Large Dan O’Neil questioned statistics cited by Department of Public Works Director Tim Clougherty obtained from the Manchester Police Department that there had been 74 traffic accidents and one traffic-related fatality on the Theatre Block since 2018. Ward 10 Alderman Bill Barry sought additional alternatives beyond those discussed in the earlier meetings and Ward 12 Alderwoman Kelly Thomas expressed concerns for residents with limited mobility.
There are currently no street-level handicapped parking spaces on Hanover Street, and Thomas, who uses a wheelchair, said the nearby Victory Garage is difficult for handicapped drivers and she has had trouble parking there when bringing her son to the Palace Theatre.
“It’s just so hard to get around that area, especially for older people and people in wheelchairs, especially with snow,” she said. “I’ve asked over and over to see what can be done about this, because I think (this proposal) will cause way more congestion.”
Ward 6 Alderman Crissy Kantor built on this statement, echoing concerns over snow removal near the block and possible traffic within the block if the proposal was approved. She also expressed concerns over safety for women parking at night in areas nearby, with Trisciani interrupting Kantor’s comments with laughter, followed by a rebuke from Kantor for the incident.
The proposal passed on an 8-6 roll call vote. Supporters included Kaw-uh, Dexter, Trisiciani, Ward 2 Alderman Dan Goonan, Ward 4 Alderwoman Christine Fajardo, Ward 5 Alderman Jason Bonilla, Ward 9 Alderman Jim Burkush and Ward 11 Alderman Norm Vincent. Opponents included Kantor, Barry, Thomas, O’Neil, Ward 7 Alderman Ross Terrio and Ward 8 Alderman Ed Sapienza.
Following the vote, O’Neil requested a reconsideration vote to be taken at the next Board of Mayor and Aldermen meeting.
A total of 80 percent of funding for the proposal would come from the U.S. Department of Transportation with other funding coming from the City of Manchester and administration by the New Hampshire Department of Transportation. Clougherty told the board that funds must be obligated by November 2027 and approval would be needed soon to keep in line with the project’s engineering timeline.
