Central Square Work Brings More Downtown Lane Changes Through Friday

Traffic headed south on Central Square toward Main Street may be cut from two lanes to one when needed.

Drivers, cyclists and pedestrians passing through downtown Keene should plan for added disruptions this week as Central Square reconstruction continues and utility work remains underway through Friday.

City officials said parking along Central Square between Winter Street and West Street will stay blocked off while crews keep working in the area. Beginning Thursday and lasting through Friday, the outbound slip lane from Central Square to West Street will also be shut down during construction.

Traffic headed south on Central Square toward Main Street may be cut from two lanes to one when needed, and West Street traffic entering from the downtown side could also be narrowed to a single lane. The city urged people traveling through the area to allow extra time and move carefully around work zones.

The ongoing project is part of Keene’s long-planned Central Square overhaul, a multi-year effort aimed at replacing old underground utilities, rebuilding streets and sidewalks, improving accessibility, upgrading stormwater systems and reshaping public spaces in Central Square and nearby streets. Liberty Utilities had already begun installing a new natural gas main before the city’s contractor started the broader reconstruction work.

Officials said traffic patterns are expected to keep shifting as the project advances.