Oxford board discusses safety of road tolls

OXFORD — The Oxford Fireman Association's (OFA) request to hold its annual charity toll bridge sparked a discussion over the safety of the event during the May 17 board of selectmen meeting.

The OFA occasionally raises additional funds by establishing a "toll booth" and requesting donations from passing motorists. According to the OFA, the annual event is one of its biggest fundraisers.

The toll booth must be authorized both by the board of selectmen and the Oxford Police Department.

The OFA requested to place the toll a little past the bridge on King Street, but Police Chief John Tibbetts gave permission for the toll at the intersection of Skeetfield Road and King Street instead.

"[At] Skeetfield and King Street, you have visibility from both ways, if you do it from Skeetfield and the bridge, you're down in the gully; visibility coming into town is limited," said Tibbetts.  "You won't even see them down in there."

Signs for the toll booth are required to be set up 100 feet from the booth itself, and all participants of the event are required to wear traffic vests.

Selectman Roger Jackson agreed with Tibbetts' assessment, saying that the narrow road near the bridge could be dangerous.

"You've got people, maybe one or two or three people milling around at the middle of the road," said Jackson. "God knows who might get hit."

Chairman Floyd Thayer also expressed his concern with the event's safety, suggesting that putting "perfectly innocent people" in the middle of the road was concerning.

The board had a similar discussion over the safety of the event during a June 2011 meeting.

The board approved the modified request for the toll booth in a 3-1 vote. Chairman Thayer voted against the measure and Jay Goforth abstained.

The OFA plans to hold the toll booth on May 26 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.