NH DOT US Route 1 Project – Public Meeting

On July 24, 2024, the City and NH DOT held at public information meeting at Community Campus where the latest plans and project status on the proposed US-1 improvement project were presented.  The approximately 1.7-mile project will reconstruct and widen US-1 between Ocean Road and Wilson Road.

A brief summary follows:

Existing Conditions within project area:

US-1 between Wilson Road and Ocean Road consists for the most part of three lanes, a single northbound travel lane, a single southbound travel lane, and a center turn lane. Exceptions include additional turn lanes at five signalized intersections and about 2,200 feet of two southbound travel lanes between Water Country and just south of Walmart. There is also about 900 feet of two northbound travel lanes between McKinley and Wilson Roads.  The existing US-1 right of way width for the length of the project is 66 feet wide except at some major signalized intersections, where the owner/developer donated their property to NH DOT to construct an appropriate intersection. Shoulder widths vary from 2 to 14 feet wide and there is approximately 2,000 ft of sidewalk.  (Length of project is 8,750 ft).  Average Annual Daily Traffic (AADT, single value includes both directions) is 16,000 to 20,000 (for 2023, depending on source) and split relatively evenly northbound (47 %) and southbound (53%).  No data was provided on how many cyclists or pedestrians use US-1 on a daily basis in the project area.

Recommendations

City and NH DOT “Recommended” proposed improvements within project area are as follows. These improvements are known as “Alternative 3”

1. Remove traffic signals at Southgate Plaza / Springbrook and Walmart/ The Cedars intersections.  Replace with roundabouts.
2. Install a raised median between the proposed roundabouts at Southgate Plaza and Walmart. This median would cause the Salvation Army access, Constitution Ave, the 2425 Lafayette Road property access and three undeveloped properties on the east side of US-1 to be right in, right out only.
3. Extend the two-travel lane southbound section from Walmart to Ocean Road. (approx. 3,000 ft)
4. Remove center concrete medians located north and south of the Ocean Road intersection 
5. At the Campus Drive intersection, install pedestrian crossing hybrid beacon. (existing examples are at NH 125 in Epping near Taco Bell and at US-4 & Boston Harbor Road in Dover near Scammell Bridge)
6. Create a standard bike / pedestrian section that consists of ( left to right) a five-foot-wide single direction bike lane next to the travel lane, granite curb, 6-foot-wide grass/ landscape area, a second five-foot-wide single direction bike lane, a 6-inch-wide separation area, and then a five-foot wide, two-way pedestrian sidewalk.  This standard section would be on both sides of US-1 for the full length of the project. Total width of this section for one side is 21.5 ft.
7. The recommended improvements would require US-1 right of way width to increase from 66 ft wide to between 80 ft and 100 ft + wide. The narrowest right of way section would be between the two roundabouts and the widest sections would be across the roundabouts.
8. Additional right of way width needed for the project will need to be taken from the abutting 70 +/- property owners by eminent domain procedures. (ranging from approx. 7 ft to 17+ ft along property frontage)
9. Existing US-1 right of way plans / boundary monumentation are in conflict and do not produce a consistent right of way boundary.  Therefore, the boundaries / property lines will need to be reestablished based on the procedure established in RSA 228:35.  Some abutting property owners may gain land and some may lose.  See the RSA below for the boundary line re-establishment procedure.

 Section 228:35 Reestablishment of Highway Boundaries. (state.nh.us)

1. Estimated project cost is $20 million dollars, or about $12 million per mile.
2. The approved construction budget for project in the pending NHDOT Ten Year Plan (2025-2034) is $11.2 million or about $ 9 million short.  Additional funding source possibilities include a contribution from the City of Portsmouth, more NHDOT Ten Year Plan funding or yet to be identified funding sources.

Project Links

Project links are below:

US Route 1 Corridor Improvement Project (NHDOT) | City of Portsmouth

Portsmouth 29640 | Department of Transportation (nh.gov)

Project Plans (South to North)

29640-pip-07242024-1.pdf (nh.gov)  ( Ocean Rd to Heritage Ave)

29640-pip-07242024-2-2.pdf (nh.gov) (Old Pizza Hut/ Mr. Mac to Southgate/Springbrook)

29640-pip-07242024-3.pdf (nh.gov) (Water Country to Hoover)

29640-pip-07242024-4.pdf (nh.gov) (Hoover to Wilson)

Next Steps

The next logical step for this project is to repeat what the City did at the Peverly Hill Road reconstruction and widening project. Prior to a formal vote by the City Council to approve the “Alternative 3” design, place boundary stakes at the proposed right of way limits on the seventy or so impacted properties, followed by a City Council site walk. In this manner, all stakeholders will have a clear understanding of the degree to which US-1 will be widened and how the competed project will look.