LYNDEBOROUGH – The Board of Selectmen has decided to use funds through the American Rescue Plan Act to improve broadband access in remote sections of town. The town expects to receive $181,300 over the next two years, with about $90,000 the first year.

At the regular meeting of the board on Wednesday, June 30, Town Administrator Russ Boland said he had talked with both TDS and Consolidated about expanding their services.

Chaimanr Fred Douglas noted that lack of broadband access prevents people from working from home and has caused people to move away or decline to buy houses in some areas.

“This has been on-going for seven years,” Boland said.

TDS has fiber optics available in about 70 percent of the town, and could expand to cover the rest.

Consolidated serves New Boston, and is “on the town border,” Boland said, and would like expand up the 2nd N.H. Turnpike toward Francestown.

The board authorized Boland to pursue the options.

In other business on Wednesday, the board voted to move forward with engineering for Phase 2 of the Center Road repaving. Northpoint Engineering did the work on earlier phases.

Also discussed was the rebuilding of Glass Factory Road., an extended project over several years.

At the Forest Road (Route 31) end, the intersection will be moved to the west and made into a “T” with better sight distance toward Wilton.

The Putnam Hill Road end is complicated by several factors.

The railroad trestle is very low, seven feet, eight inches, and a firetruck cannot go under it. The state has said the trestle needs repairs and replacing the decking is on their ten-year plan.

The intersection is at an angle and the turn is steep, a very difficult turn for a truck, and there is a small brook under Putnam Hill Road.

Suggested solutions include making the railroad crossing grade level, an expensive operation.

Selectman Mark Chamberlain said he would like “a meeting of all the boards involved.” Those include, besides the railroad, the state Department of Transportation and DES.

The whole of Glass factory Road needs to be rebuilt, Chamberlain said.

Adoption of the new Class VI Road policy was postponed until the next meeting on July 14.

Douglas noted the “cemeteries look great” and extended thanks to the Highway Department.