Latest news with #NHDOT
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Yahoo
New Hampshire drivers will face major construction this summer
From Nashua to Manchester to the major routes bringing vacationers and tourists to their favorite destinations, drivers will have to navigate a busy summer of road construction throughout New Hampshire. This summer, an estimated 38 million to 39 million vehicles will pass through tolls during the 14-week period from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend. Tourism is the second-largest industry in the state and on Thursday, the state tourism office shared its projection of 4.6 million travelers visiting the Granite State this summer. Now add up to 80 state highway projects that could continue, finish or start during that time, and drivers will definitely want to check for construction before they hit the road. To get a full list of state highway projects, visit The New Hampshire Department of Transportation urges drivers to use New England 511 ( for daily updates on traffic, construction and crashes. But before we dive into the summer fun, here's some good news: There will be no highway construction this Memorial Day weekend through early Tuesday morning, said Jennifer Lane, chief communications officer for the NHDOT. The Hooksett tolls project on Interstate 93 was completed earlier this month, and major construction on the F.E. Everett Turnpike will have a short pause for the holiday. However, any highway lanes already closed for construction will remain closed. 'Several long-term projects will remain in place with lane shifts or reduced lanes, such as the Cocheco River Bridge work on the Spaulding Turnpike in Dover and ongoing construction on I-89 in Sutton. On the Seacoast, we're making progress on the Hampton River Bridge on Route 1A in Seabrook, where we're working carefully within in-water environmental restrictions. Work is also continuing on the F.E. Everett Turnpike through Nashua and Merrimack, and at Exit 4A on I-93,' Lane said in an email. Work on the guardrail project on Interstate 293 is wrapping up ahead of schedule, which could fast-track drivers coming up the Everett Turnpike on their way north. 'Crews worked hard to finish the bulk of it before Memorial Day weekend. Only minor punch list items remain,' she said. After Memorial Day, construction will really take off. Active projects What exactly is an 'active' highway construction project? The state lists everything from construction company bidding to when work is fully closed out. These jobs could start, stop or continue throughout the summer. More than half of the state's 80 active projects are scheduled to end this year, but nearly 30 don't have an official start date yet. The combined price tag for all of the active state projects is more than $782 million. And that's not counting roads maintained by cities and towns. Southern New Hampshire In the southern part of the state, construction on the Everett Turnpike in Nashua, Merrimack and Bedford will continue. Three phases of that project are currently under construction at a combined price of $76 million to widen the road to three lanes, and build new bridges. A project at the end of that widening will cost nearly $16 million to install overhead E-ZPass sensors at the Bedford toll plaza and replace the concrete tollbooths with all-electronic tolling. The first phase of the tollbooth work started this spring and is expected to last into mid-June. The toll project as a whole is slated for completion in September 2027 and the work to widen the Everett Turnpike will last until mid-2028 with staggered end dates for each phase. Current work related to the new Exit 4A on I-93 in Derry and Londonderry will cost about $76.5 million, and Folsom Road in Derry will be widened from two lanes to up to seven lanes (turning lanes included) at points. Folsom Road work is expected to last until June 2028. Resurfacing projects are planned for Routes 101, 102 and 128 in Amherst, Bedford, Londonderry and Pelham. Manchester-area highways The state has several paving projects planned for the Manchester area, including work on Route 101 in Auburn and Candia that hasn't begun yet. There will also be a continuation of bridge work at a cost of $10 million on I-93 north in Manchester and Hooksett this summer. Seacoast and Route 16 As Lane mentioned, major work on the Spaulding Turnpike (aka Route 16) will be ongoing in Dover. Three projects for a combined $47 million will upgrade pavement, a toll plaza and replace a bridge. Route 16 is a major route from I-95 (and drivers from Maine and Massachusetts) to go north toward the east side of the Lakes Region and all the way up to North Conway, areas with major tourist attractions. The Spaulding Turnpike will also be repaved in Newington and Portsmouth. A $107.5 million project on New Hampshire Route 1A in Seabrook and Hampton will replace a bridge. That work has already started and will last through June of 2028, state officials said. City road projects The state's two biggest cities, Manchester and Nashua, will both be busy repaving roads, filling cracks and fixing infrastructure in several areas. Nashua posts updates every Friday on its Department of Public Works Facebook page at Nashua is in Year 8 of a 10-year paving project that has improved local roads and this summer will be another busy one, officials said. A complete list of road projects for Nashua is available by clicking 2025 Paving List on Manchester also has several projects planned for the summer, including a continuation of the work on the Amoskeag Bridge, which will last through late 2026. Manchester pushes out information on road work on message boards in the city, social media and Nixle. For up-to-date bulletins from Manchester, visit or their Facebook page at dpierce@
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Derry Rail Trail tunnel decision coming in June, judge says
After hearing three hours of arguments Wednesday, a federal judge said he will decide the fate of the once-proposed Derry Rail Trail tunnel under Folsom Road next month. The Committee to Save the Derry Rail Trail Tunnel sued state and federal highway agencies last August after the New Hampshire Department of Transportation revised its plan for the redesign of Folsom Road, which will connect Derry to Exit 4A on Interstate 93. Attorneys for the Derry Rail Trail said the NHDOT's plan was simply a cost-cutting measure that was made arbitrarily and does not fully meet the standards of federal law preserving the Manchester & Lawrence Railroad Historic District. Lawyers from the Federal Highway Administration and NHDOT said the state's 2024 reworking of the Exit 4A project, which nixed the Folsom Road underpass for the Derry Rail Trail, was more than a way to save $770,000 from the roughly $31 million segment of the $112 million, three-phase project. Officials said they didn't skirt any regulations or laws with their alternative plan for pedestrians, families and bicyclists to walk up and down a steep hill on either side of Folsom Road to get across the soon-to-be six-lane highway by using a crosswalk. Plus, by designing a second route, which will take trail users under a new bridge over Shields Pond, the agencies provided two viable alternatives to the tunnel. That's where U.S. District Court Judge Paul J. Barbadoro jumped in and scrutinized the FHA and NHDOT's justification. He said nowhere in the more than 29,000 pages of administrative record for the case is there any documentation of analysis to back up their claim that the state's new plan was equivalent to the original plan for a tunnel — not in terms of safety, experience, aesthetics or in adequately addressing criticism of the tunnel-less plan by a historic resource officer. 'I'm having a lot of trouble seeing it because the very reason the corridor was preserved was the historic engineering achievement. Going up a bump and down, that's nothing like a rail experience,' Barbadoro said. Charles Kelsh, an attorney representing the Derry Rail Trail group, also argued that saving less than 2.5% of the cost for that section of the Exit 4A project does not meet the legal requirements for 'substantial savings.' Barbadoro agreed. Kelsh and Barbadoro also agreed that two alternatives that take users out of the historic district and don't at all preserve the character of the railroad, which opened in 1850, aren't automatically better than the one, simplest route — under a Folsom Road tunnel and straight through to the other side. 'The alternative to the underpass is at least equal to the underpass,' said Anna Dronzek, assistant U.S. Attorney for New Hampshire. 'Where in the administrative record is that argument made?' Barbadoro asked. The judge said neither he nor his clerks could find any analysis the state or federal agencies did comparing the crosswalk and the Shields Brook bridge alternative to the original tunnel. Barbadoro gave both sides a lot of feedback in their arguments, at times saying it seemed like they were each making a better argument for the opposing side. In the end after hours of clarification and questions, Barbadoro asked each side what the remedies would look like should he decide in the plaintiff's favor. Kelsh said the original plan for the Derry Rail Trail tunnel would suffice. Barbadoro said one option if he concludes the state and federal transportation agencies erred in their revamped plan was to give them a chance to alter it and come back with new recommendations and new analysis that would justify their choice. Either way, he doesn't want the Exit 4A project to be delayed. NHDOT attorneys said they would experience delays if something wasn't worked out by mid-August. 'I'll give the judge a lot of credit,' said Dave Topham, president of the New Hampshire Rail Trails Coalition. 'First of all, he's very knowledgeable. The fact he had actually visited the site himself and knows what we're talking about for the big picture, I think it's very helpful. And he really dug into the details all the way through. Right now, I think things are leaning in our direction. But who's to know?' dpierce@
Yahoo
24-02-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Planes Break Record at Only Ice Runway in Contiguous US
Planes using a New Hampshire ice runway broke the record for the most landings in a season at the spot, which opens every winter in Alton Bay. Footage captured by Rob Wright shows planes taking off and landing at the Alton Bay Seaplane Base and Ice Runway, which local news outlet WMTW reported is the only 'Federal Aviation Administration-approved registered ice runway in the contiguous United States.' In a Facebook post, officials from the airbase said 88 planes landed on Saturday, February 22, bringing the total landings for the season to 730, which broke the previous season record, set in 2019, of 643 landings. Runway officials noted that there were 'several instances of aircraft with differential brake steering that could not steer on the ice and had to be walked by ground crew.' Near the end of the video, a plane can also be seen sliding across the ice and receiving assistance from crew. According to the New Hampshire Department of Transportation (NHDOT), the airport is run by a 'dedicated group of volunteers who assist pilots (seaplane, ski, and conventional) flying into the bay throughout the year and who also plow the ice runway, parallel taxiway, and parking area.' 'The ice runway attracts several hundred pilots during its 4-8 week season and it can be one of the busiest airports in the state on winter weekends,' the NHDOT said on their website. The runway is open when the ice on Alton Bay is at least 12 inches thick, according to the FAA. Credit: Rob Wright via Storyful
Yahoo
22-02-2025
- Yahoo
NHDOT warns of E-ZPass smishing text scam
Feb. 21—The New Hampshire Department of Transportation (NHDOT) is warning drivers of a smishing scam targeting Granite State residents through text messages. The text messages ask recipients to click on a link to settle outstanding toll amounts. Transportation officials said New Hampshire E-ZPass will never send text messages requesting payment for tolls with late fees. The texts appear to be sent by "EZ- Pass" and include language detailing "urgent requests" involving an individual's account that will result in "excessive fees" or "potential legal action" if the alleged outstanding balance is not paid. "Do not click on the link, it is not a legitimate website," state DOT said in a statement. "Similar scams have been reported by toll agencies across the country over the past several months." Customers who receive an unsolicited text, email, or similar message suggesting it is from the NH Turnpike or another toll agency should not click on the link. E-ZPass account holders can use approved safe methods to check their accounts, such as the official NH Turnpike E-ZPass website or the NH E-ZPass app available from the Apple App Store, or Google Play store, officials said. Anyone who receives a fraudulent text can file a complaint with the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center at a site dedicated to sharing information on Internet crimes across law enforcement agencies. Recipients can also forward the suspicious message to 7726 (SPAM) to alert their mobile provider.
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Derry sub shop feels the squeeze of Exit 4A construction
Feb. 18—The USA Subs sign says the sandwich shop, a mainstay of Derry since 1988, has "got it all!" Everything but enough parking and a fair eminent domain deal from the state, that is, the owner said. "Wow ... we are really getting screwed over," a Facebook post on Feb. 13 began. The post included pictures of the shop's 10 parking spots and iconic oval sign on Crystal Avenue and details about the owner's struggles to negotiate with the state over land that will be taken for the $80 million project to create Exit 4A off Interstate 93 and reimagine a huge chunk of Derry. USA Subs was offered $20,200 for the land needed to widen the intersection of Laconia and Crystal avenues, and was assured they would not lose any parking spaces or have to move their sign on their triangular-shaped property, according to Keith Kuceris, a Londonderry resident who owns the shop that his father, Karl, passed down to him. "When we proved to (O.R. Colan Associates) that we definitely would lose a parking spot and have to move our pylon sign and flag pole, they never put this in writing in the form of a counter offer, or guaranteed in writing that we would ONLY lose ONE parking spot and not have to move our other 'Steak Bomb' sign and the planter that it is located on. Why would we sign any agreement not making these assurances for our peace of mind?" Kuceris asked in his Facebook post. ORC is handling the eminent domain negotiations for the New Hampshire Department of Transportation. ORC has now told Kuceris that USA Subs will lose a parking space and must move the sign about 10 feet. ORC at one point said they'd pay to move the USA Subs sign, but recently told the owner he must pay $31,000 to move the sign, for which he'll be reimbursed, and gave him a deadline of May 1, said Kuceris, who grew up in Derry and graduated from Pinkerton Academy in 1992. Since 1988, USA Subs, which took over in the same location as the old Ice Cream Factory in Derry, has employed hundreds of people. It has paid roughly $325,000 in town property taxes, paid another $936,000 in payroll taxes and around $3,500,000 in meals and business taxes, Kuceris said in the Facebook post. State officials said the eminent domain negotiations are confidential and cannot be shared. However, NHDOT spokesperson Jennifer Lane said after an offer is made to a property owner, reasonable counteroffers will be considered. "(USA Subs) was first notified about the potential impact on the property during a public hearing in December 2018. Additional specific details were provided through an appraisal released in August 2024," Lane said via email. Anyone want Exit 4A? Large parts of Derry will be torn up for the next three years while the NHDOT constructs a major artery from I-93 all the way to Route 102 near Beaver Lake. The project was first imagined 40 years ago as a way to relocate traffic instead of funneling cars and trucks downtown, where Route 102/Broadway is only one lane in each direction for the state's fourth-largest community. The problem is, now Derry doesn't have as much commercial or industrial land left near Exit 4A to bring in a larger business tax base, and many longtime residents will be living next to a highway that's seven lanes wide when the project is done. Last month, some Derry residents bristled when they learned the extent of a project they said was being shoved down their throats. More than 50 residents packed a meeting with town planners. Many said the economic benefits don't outweigh the cost to their way of life. Several residents said they found it unacceptable that their alternatives were to help shape the future zoning of the area — the one thing the town can do — or move because the state project could not be stopped. A lawsuit against the state is also still pending after Derry Rail Trail enthusiasts went to court to fight the state's plan to ditch a $700,000 tunnel for the rail trail that was originally planned to go under traffic near the intersection of the new Exit 4A access road — Old Rum Trail — and Folsom Road. Ash Street Extension The engineering on Derry's Ash Street Extension is so good, everyone uses it. It's the perfect way to go west to the heart of Londonderry or for commuters from I-93 to avoid using Route 102 to get to the far reaches of Derry's eastern residential areas. But it's becoming an area of town that's much less desirable for homeowners, residents said at a visioning session last week for the Gateway District, which was established for the area most affected by the Exit 4A construction. Residents gave town planners feedback for the Ash Street area, including the need for safety measures, speed enforcement and sidewalks. "I just need to know that we're going to be protected because I don't see any benefits to myself and my neighborhood with what is happening here," said Cheryl Stanion, a resident of Everett Street. What's next? A third visioning session is scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday at the Derry Town Offices. dpierce@
