CORNISH — The New Hampshire Department of Transportation is in the beginning stages of a plan to improve pedestrian crossings on Route 12A in the area of Saint-Gaudens National Historic Park and Blow Me Down Farm.

DOT officials will hold the first public meeting to review the project area and the study’s goals and seek input from the public on Tuesday, at 6 p.m. in the Cornish town hall on Townhouse Road.

“The initial intent of this Study is to review alternatives to address safety of all users along NH 12A in the area of the Saint-Gaudens National Historical Park,” Leah Savage, project manager with the DOT, said in an email.

The study, which originated from a request from park officials, will review how visitors access the park’s attractions on both sides of Route 12A, whether on foot or by vehicle, Savage said.

The area under consideration for a potential pedestrian crossing is north of the access road to the park and adjacent to the southern edge of the 42-acre Blow Me Down Farm, where the Blow Me Down Brook crosses beneath the road.

While the park’s access road is not directly across from the area under consideration for improvements, the Sycamore Trail, which is connected to two other trails originating in the park, ends near the potential crossing site.

The National Park Service has owned the farm since 2010 and leases it to Opera North. The farm is open to the public for guided tours and special events. Opera North has scheduled three theater performances at the site this summer. Entrance to the farm on Beaman Road is north of the study area.

Presently, there is very little pedestrian traffic crossing the road between the historic site and the farm because the farm is only open for special events, Rick Kendall, superintendent at Saint-Gaudens, said.  

But if they are able to open the farm more regularly, they want to be able to ensure visitors’ safety.

"That section of Route 12A that runs through the park is high speed, 50 miles per hour, and a lot of it is on a curve with poor sight lines,” Kendall said. “So finding ways to get visitors safely across the road was the impetus for reaching out to the DOT."

As the project is in the conceptual stage, Kendall does not expect any construction to begin for a few years.

DOT wants public input to ensure the recommendations align with “transportation needs and community goals and protect and enhance the environment,” according to a news release from the department.

Patrick O’Grady can be reached at pogclmt@gmail.com.