The project is being conducted within the framework of an Environmental Impact Statement and includes a dynamic public participation process. Preliminary engineering plans and studies suitable for a Design Public Hearing (tentatively scheduled for October, 2005) are being prepared, in addition to conducting concurrent studies of the potential environmental impacts. Plans to avoid where possible, and minimize and mitigate unavoidable impacts are also under development.The project is included in the State’s Ten-Year Transportation Improvement Program and is the top long term transportation priority of the Seacoast MPO. Community concerns over increased traffic congestion and safety within the project area precipitated the Spaulding Turnpike Improvements Feasibility Study (February, 2000) that identified interim safety improvements (currently under design) and assisted local officials in thinking about longer term solutions. Building on the Feasibility Study and other available information to the extent possible, the current project will foster the community consensus necessary to uncover the practical, smart and permittable long term solution to mobility needs and safety problems.
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Project Purpose

Exit 6, looking north

The purpose of this project is to improve transportation efficiency and reduce safety problems, while minimizing social, economic, and environmental impacts, for an approximate 3.5-mile section of the Spaulding Turnpike extending north from the Gosling Road / Pease Boulevard Interchange (Exit 1) in the Town of Newington, across the Little Bay Bridges, to a point just south of the existing toll facility in the City of Dover. Options that include implementing transportation system management (TSM) improvements, reusing the General Sullivan Bridge for local motorized and nonmotorized traffic, enhancing rail service, improving bus transit service, and instituting other transportation demand management (TDM) strategies that may reduce vehicle trips along the Spaulding Turnpike will be considered, in addition to upgrading the mainline, Little Bay Bridges, and interchanges.
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Project Need

Exit 6, looking west

The Spaulding Turnpike is eastern New Hampshire’s major limited access north-south highway, serving as a gateway linking the Seacoast Region with Concord, the eastern portion of the Lakes Region, and the White Mountains. The Turnpike is also part of the National Highway System (NHS) reflecting its significance as an important transportation link in the State and regional system. Functionally classified as a principal arterial, it is a major commuter route which ties the growing residential areas of Dover-Somersworth-Rochester with the industrial and regional commercial centers in Newington, Portsmouth, and northern Massachusetts. It serves as the major artery for freight into and out of the areas north of the Little Bay Bridges, and is the economic lifeline of the region. It also serves as a major tourist route, providing access to the northern reaches of the state from the seacoast and points south of New Hampshire.

Traffic volumes on the Little Bay Bridges have steadily increased from approximately 30,000 vehicles per day in 1980 to almost 70,000 vehicles per day in 2001 resulting in high levels of congestion on the bridges and along the Turnpike near and within the interchange areas. Over the next 20 years this average daily volume is expected to increase to approximately 100,000 vehicles per day. During weekday and weekend peak hours of the day, the Turnpike currently operates at unacceptable levels of service (LOS F) with motorists experiencing severe congestion and long delays within this segment of the corridor.

The Turnpike has a number of existing geometric deficiencies including limited sight distance and substandard shoulder width on the Little Bay Bridges and substandard merge, diverge, and weave areas at the interchanges. Many of the traffic maneuvers required to enter, exit or change lanes along this section of the Turnpike are capacity constrained under current traffic conditions and contribute to driver discomfort and accidents. Existing acceleration, deceleration and weaving sections along the Turnpike are inadequate by current design standards. Historic accident data indicates that the frequency of crashes continues to increase raising concerns relative to motorist safety. Due to the nature of the existing facilities, these crashes create long delays in an area for which there are no viable alternate routes.

In addition to the capacity deficiencies and safety issues, this section of the Turnpike bisects the residential and recreational areas in Dover and the residential and commercial/industrial areas in Newington resulting in an inefficient and circuitous use of the Turnpike by people desiring to travel east-west and vice versa. Local connectivity for motorists, pedestrians, and bicyclists from one side of the Turnpike to the other is deficient.

This section of the Turnpike is located in a moderate seismic region, identified as Seismic Performance Category B. The Little Bay Bridges, which are classified as major structures, were not designed to meet the current seismic design criteria for this region.

The project is included in the State’s Ten-Year Transportation Improvement Program and is the top long-term transportation priority of the Seacoast Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO). As residential and commercial development and traffic growth along the corridor continue, traffic operations and safety conditions will deteriorate further, resulting in increased vehicle delays, increased accident frequency, and the potential loss of commerce.
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Project Status