Concerned residents in Hancock asked town officials to gather information about how the construction of a Walmart Supercenter in Hillsborough could affect traffic in town.

“They asked us to inquire about where cars may be coming from and the potential impact it may have in town,” said Select Board chair Tom Shevenell.

He said Hancock is already located within range of the Rindge and Keene Walmarts, and that an additional Hillsborough location likely would not have a big impact on traffic.

That being said, the board plans to gather information from the state’s Department of Transportation, Southwest Regional Planning Commission, and Southern New Hampshire Planning Commission, as a way to gauge how traffic will be impacted. 

“We want to assuage residents’ concerns,” Shevenell said.

DOT recently presented during an Antrim select board meeting regarding impacts the shopping center will have on the town.

Kevin Belanger, assistant district engineer, said is projected to place an additional 109 vehicles on the road per hour during peak weekday times, and an additional about 140 vehicles per hour on the road during peak weekend times. It is assumed 20 percent of that increase will pass through Antrim.

Belanger said in a message to the Ledger-Transcript on Wednesday that the traffic analysis didn’t encompass any other towns in the region. 

He said the department looked at Antrim (even though it’s 6 miles away from the site) because there are not a lot of connectors between Antrim and Hillsborough — only a few small roads that connect to Route 202.

As the added cars travel through Antrim, there are many roads to divide off on heading south on Route 202 (away from the site). As examples, he said, traffic could peel off in Antrim town roads, Route 31 in Bennington, Route 137 into Hancock, Route 124 towards Hancock, and some into their own driveways. The rest would probably stay on Route 202 in Peterborough and beyond, he said.

“So impacts beyond Antrim were not reviewed because they are not expected to have any real impacts,” Belanger said.

Southwest Regional Planning Commission conducted a traffic study last year in Hancock, which showed traffic volumes has dropped off along certain roads in town.

As an example, Main Street, west of its intersection with NH 137, had estimated average annual daily traffic volume of 4,200 vehicles in 2009, and 2,000 vehicles in 2013. The same stretch saw 1,800 vehicles in preliminary 2016 figures.

Traffic on Old Hancock Road showed an average daily traffic total of 1,800 vehicles. Bennington Road, north of Main Street, saw 1,600 vehicles.

The town will hold an informational meeting at a future select board meeting to discuss the matter with various planning departments in the region.

Abby Kessler can be reached at 924-7172, ext. 234 or akessler@ledgertranscript.com.