The city of Keene is working its way through a list of projects that officials would like to undertake in the coming years.
The seven-year plan, called the Capital Improvement Program, lists dozens of priorities, from replacing police radios to road repairs and large reconstruction projects. Together, these projects are estimated to cost $209 million over the next seven years, though the City Council can delay or modify individual projects at any time.
Perhaps the most discussed project in recent years is the $24 million downtown infrastructure project, an overhaul to replace old pipes beneath Main Street and Central Square, which is slated to begin this spring.
But other priorities are also in works, and when the city finalizes its plan, money for projects slated to start in the next fiscal year — which begins July 1 — will become part of the operating budget.
Here are some of the projects on tap for 2026-27 if councilors approve them:
* Solar pavilion on Gilbo Avenue: This $2.2 million plan calls for building a 30-by-230-foot wooden structure next to the Commercial Lot on Gilbo Avenue. It will hold 120 solar panels that will generate enough energy to offset the city’s downtown electricity costs. The city intends to use the pavilion for concerts and other happenings, and parking will be available there when events aren’t taking place. A Northern Border Regional Commission grant will pay for 80 percent of that project. The project would break ground in spring 2027.
* Water Street pipe: The city plans to spend $250,000 in the fall to assess Keene’s largest water pipe, which broke in July and prompted a three-day boil water advisory. The 16-inch main was put in place in 1957, and is well within its useful life of 100 to 120 years, the city said. It broke twice before, in 2007 and 2023, according to staff, who attributed these issues to a defect within the pipe. The city plans additional testing of the pipe, which will help staff determine the type of repair it might need.
* Redesigning lower Winchester Street: Another proposal involves work redesigning a stretch of Winchester Street from the existing Route 101 roundabout in Keene to the Market Basket intersection in Swanzey to the south. Plans call for adding two roundabouts and bike and pedestrian paths. It would also involve bridge replacement and pipe and sewer replacements.
The design phase for this has already begun, according to Public Works Director Don Lussier, and the city is planning to spend $624,200 in the 2026-27 year to finalize right-of-way permissions for the project’s footprint.
The $10 million redesign is tentatively slated to break ground in 2030. The N.H. Department of Transportation is expected to fund 80 percent of that cost.
* Work on West Street: A proposal calls for reconstructing a section of West Street from Main Street to Route 9. In addition to pedestrian and bicycle path improvements, the project aims to replace sewer and water lines. The project’s design phase is expected to begin in the 2026-27 year and is estimated to cost $829,441. The project is 80 percent funded by N.H. DOT, with construction is slated for fiscal year 2033. The CIP does not include a price tag for the construction.
* Robin Hood Park: The city plans to spend about $2.7 million next year for various improvements to the Robin Hood Park. Improvements include refurbishing the pool, an inclusive playground structure and improved camping and bathroom structures. The city was awarded a $500,000 federal grant for the project.
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