If this issue is important to you, please contact one or more of the officials listed below to inform them of your concerns regarding this project.
PURPOSE OF THIS INFORMATION: This information is to inform the general public regarding New Hampshire Department of Transportation (NHDOT) Project # 13065-B (“Derry-Londonderry 13065 I-93 Exit 4A”) aka the Route 93 Derry NH Exit 4A Tunnel Project. BWANH is providing this information at the request of the general public.
BACKGROUND INFO
Project summary for Project 13065 from NHDOT website–> “Design and construct a new interchange for Exit 4A on I-93 in Londonderry, NH, about a mile north of Exit 4, to provide access to only the east side of I-93. The work on I-93 is approximately 1 mile long. This project also involves constructing a new Connector Road between the interchange and Folsom Road in Derry, NH and making upgrades to Folsom Road, Tsienneto Road, and NH Route 102 (Chester Road).”
This project also involves constructing directly over the existing Derry Rail Trail corridor. The original plan for this Exit 4A project included constructing a tunnel along approximately 100-feet of the existing rail trail corridor that would allow the safest, most convenient, and most direct route for rail trail users (bicyclists, walkers, joggers, dog walkers, families, children, seniors, and people of all ages using mobility assistance devices, etc) – separated from motor vehicle traffic. This rail trail “tunnel plan” is by far the preferred option, the only one that makes sense, for safety & convenience of rail trail users.
The ”tunnel plan” is pointed out by the red arrows in the image below. The tunnel would be located under the to-be-built 6-lanes of motor vehicle traffic.
The problem is that on October 28, 2021, advocacy representatives were shocked to learn that NHDOT scrapped the rail trail “tunnel plan” solution, which had been in place, agreed upon by all parties, and fully funded for years. Instead, NHDOT revealed a much less desirable “alternative plan”, also known as the “spaghetti trail”, shown in blue in the image below.
The “tunnel plan“ provides the safest, quickest, shortest, most convenient travel for bicyclists and pedestrians using the Derry Rail Trail, which is part of the Granite State Rail Tail.
The “tunnel plan” is:
- the safest design option
- the most direct, shortest option, approximately 100-feet of tunnel, following the existing rail trail corridor
- Not in a flood zone
- What the bike-ped / rail trail community wants and expected
- “tunnel plan” was included in the original publicly presented plans and reportedly fully funded with Federal money and Toll Credits, so no impact on the state or local towns
The “spaghetti plan” proposed and currently in the plan is:
- an unsafe design that includes up & down grades of 5%, 90-degree turns, a 180-degree switchback, shared use of a sidewalk, travel under a bridge built to span a brook known to flood, and optionally crossing 6-lanes of traffic on a signalized crosswalk.
- increases the distance bike-peds will have to travel by approximately 1,050-feet (almost 1/3 of a mile) over a route that is not designed for the expected 2,500 to 7,500 users per day. (See NHDOT estimates) (This is a 160% increase in travel distance compared to the tunnel option)
- is in a known flood zone
- is most definitely NOT what the bike-ped community wants or expected based on plans presented at public meetings
- is significantly detrimental to the success of the Granite State Rail Trail.
CHANGE.ORG PETITION
On Dec 1st, 2021 Granite State Rail Trail (GSRT) distributed a petition out to the general public. So far, over 2,224 people have signed the petition to reinstate the “tunnel plan”. Click here to see the petition.
ADVOCATES STRONGLY URGE
Return to the original “tunnel plan” design.
WHY?
- It’s the safest, most direct, preferred route
- Is not in a flood plane
- **is** designed to accommodate the expected user rates for that corridor ( 2,500 to 7,500 users per day, by NHDOT’s own estimates, verified recently by Derry trail user counts)
- The “tunnel plan” needs to be in place to support the Granite State Rail Trail, which this corridor is an integral component of. We cannot expect that bicycle tourists, bike commuters, walkers, or anyone using this rail trail corridor will be at all incentivized to use this trail if the “spaghetti plan” is in place. It is an absurd option when the straight-through 100-foot “tunnel plan” option is completely available.
New Hampshire will be stuck with the outcome of this project for many years to come. Let’s get it right, and do it right the first time.
WHO YOU CAN CONTACT
All of the advocacy groups involved urge the general public to politely and firmly let these officials know of your concerns.
| Wendy Johnson | NHDOT Project Manager Wendy.A.Johnson@dot.nh.gov (603) 271-2171 |
| William Cass | NHDOT Assistant Commissioner |
| Victoria Sheehan | NHDOT Commissioner |
| Governor Chris Sununu | NH Governor Chris Sununu |
| Taylor Caswell | NH Commissioner of Business and Economic Affairs |
Contact Your State Rep: http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/senate/members/wml.aspx
OTHER REFERENCES
For more information on this project:
- NHDOT Project Specific Information –> https://www.nh.gov/dot/projects/derrylondonderry13065/index.htm
- NHDOT External Project Website –> NHDOT Derry-Londonderry Project# 13065 I-93 Exit4A –> https://www.i93exit4a.com/
- Manchester Ink Link article, April 27, 2022 by Ryan Lessard –> http://bitly.ws/rjit
- Link to Derry Rail Trail Alliance’s PowerPoint Presentation on GoogleDocs –> http://bitly.ws/rjii
WHO ARE THE ADVOCACY GROUPS INVOLVED?
These advocacy groups are actively involved in this issue. If you appreciate this work, please consider supporting one or more of these organizations with a donation, membership, or active involvement.
- Derry Rail Trail Alliance
- Windham Rail Trail Alliance
- Rails To Trails Conservancy
- Granite State Rail Trail
- New Hampshire Rail Trails Coalition
- Bike-Walk Alliance of New Hampshire
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