Salisbury approves traffic detour for June NASCAR event

SALISBURY — First Selectman Curtis Rand agreed to sign approvals for changes in traffic patterns and a “hauler parade” for Lime Rock Park’s NASCAR event June 26 to 28 after a lengthy and detailed discussion at a special meeting of the Board of Selectmen Wednesday, May 21.

Lime Rock Park is hosting a weekend of NASCAR events. In anticipation of a larger than usual crowd, park leadership has asked to have one-way traffic on Route 112 — Lime Rock Road — from the junction of Route 7 and Route 112 to White Hollow Road and the main track entrance between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. and one-way traffic in the opposite direction between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Friday, June 27 and Saturday, June 28.

On Thursday, June 26, there will be a hauler parade. The trucks will form up at Salisbury School and proceed west on Route 44 starting at 4:30 p.m., with state police cars in the lead and bringing up the rear. Westbound traffic on Route 44 will be stopped as the parade gets underway.

Rand expressed frustration with many aspects of the plans. He was critical of park leadership for setting up arrangements with local businesses for the parade prior to coming to the town for a discussion.

Selectman Chris Williams said Lime Rock Park should have come to the town considerably earlier than the first notification a couple of weeks ago.

Selectman Kitty Kiefer said she has not heard anything positive from anyone she has talked to about the plans.

Lime Rock Park President Dicky Riegel and facility safety director Tom Burke, a retired State Police sergeant with Troop B, answered the questions and criticisms as they came.

Burke said there will be 30 state troopers both along the roads and at the track, and there will be 11 variable message boards deployed to alert motorists several days ahead of the events.

Asked why park representatives had not sent out plans to their immediate neighbors, Riegel said they couldn’t do that until they had an approval. With approval, the track will publicize the information about the traffic flow and the parade.

Riegel also apologized for not coming to the town sooner.

Public comment was uniformly negative.

After an hour or so, Rand asked the selectmen for their opinions.

Kiefer said she would deny both requests.

Williams said he would approve them but reiterated his earlier criticisms.

Rand made up his mind.

“I will sign these.” He said he was “going on good faith.”

“But if it comes up again I might easily say no.”