BY SUSAN WARE

For teenagers who speed down Edgewater Drive and light bonfires in the vacant lot at the end of the street, the party days soon will be over.

Hooksett Town Councilor Jason Hyde lives on Edgewater Drive and he has asked the town to post signs “Slow Kids” and “No Parking” and have police patrol the narrow road that runs along the Merrimack River.

“Kids have started causing trouble by driving fast down the road and starting fires by the river. We recently found a fire that had been left unattended for 24 hours,” said Hyde.

Edgewater Drive is a narrow, dead end road. At the end, where the pavement ends, is 11 undeveloped acres belonging to Paul Scarpetti.

“Paul doesn’t mind people walking their dogs or riding their bikes through his land, but he has some people in there abusing his land and it needs to stop,” said Hyde.

Scarpetti put up chains across the dirt roads onto his property and a sign imploring people to stay out if they can’t respect the land.

Scarpetti was not able to be reached for comment.

“Bow has the same problem with kids passing through the gate on that side and going in there and partying,” said Hyde.

According to Hyde, Hooksett has contacted Bow authorities and both have agreed to work together to remediate this problem.

Bow town manager Jim Pitts could not be reached for comment.

“My understanding is that Bow police are going to step up patrols of the Bow side of this 11-acre parcel,” said Hyde.

Hyde also said Hooksett has ordered the signs and they will be in place as soon as they come in.

Overall enforcement will depend on police being present and watchful neighbors. Hyde said that although there are three homes on the road, they are all in communication and watching out for each other.

“It used to feel safe down here. Now it doesn’t. We are all working together to improve things,” said Hyde.

Hyde said that people parking at the entrance to Edgewater Drive create a hazard by blocking the road, making it impossible for residents to navigate around, never mind rescue vehicles.

Hyde said that when he sees teenagers speeding, he tries to stop them and talk to them.

Now he is going to rely on underage drinking laws, curfew laws and other ordinances that will keep teenagers out of his  neighborhood.