Public gives input to Route 108 'Complete Streets' project

SOMERSWORTH — About 40 residents, business owners, city officials and elected leaders joined the NH Department of Transportation officials and DOT consultants to tell them what is lacking on a roughly five-mile Route 108 corridor that touches the Tri-Cities.

Some people wanted to see more bike lanes and pedestrians options. Some suggested that roundabouts be considered at some intersections, while others didn’t want any at all. Some wanted to ensure the project, estimated to cost $11.4 million, would consider how the development would impact the area in the next 10-20 years.

It was part of the preliminary design phase of the nearly five-mile “Complete Streets” project DOT is planning between for Route 108 between Innovation Drive in Rochester and Weeks Crossing in Dover.

The preliminary design phase continues through winter of 2020. The design would begin to be finalized starting in the spring of 2021 and continue through the fall of 2023, with public hearings, environmental permitting and the obtaining of right-of-way acquisitions and easements. At this point, the project is estimated to cost close to $11.4 million and would begin construction in the summer of 2024 and continue for multiple construction seasons. The DOT has contracted with McFarland Johnson for assist with the designing and public outreach for the project.

McFarland Johnson Project Manager Gene McCarthy defined “Complete Streets” as a “street designed for everyone. Regardless of your capabilities (…) we want this corridor to work for everyone who wants to use it.” That includes vehicles, bicyclists and pedestrians, including those who may have a walking disability. But how a ‘Complete Streets’ concept is deployed depends on what kind of needs are for a particular corridor, he said.

The U.S. Department of Transportation defines ‘Complete Streets’ as “the concept of ‘Complete Streets’ encompasses many approaches to planning, designing and operating roadways and rights of way with all users in mind to make the transportation network safer and more efficient.”

After a brief introduction, the public was split into small groups. Some of the challenges people saw was the highway is “heavily auto focused” with a lack of shoulders, sidewalks, bike lanes, and turnouts to allow COAST buses to stop and allow traffic behind it to continue around it. Some saw a need for traffic calming measures around the Willand Drive area, as it has significant traffic and can be difficult for those on Willand Drive to pull out safely.

While it's unclear if the long term goal to create an Exit 10 of the Spaulding Turnpike will ever happen, Somersworth City Manager Robert Belmore suggested the project take into consideration that it could occur, pointing to Interstate Drive as one of the places investigated as the exit’s connection to Route 108.

Somersworth Dina Gagnon said she was excited about the possibilities of the project and wanted to ensure the road became more accessible to the various people who use it. “It’s a great way to connect the three cities together,” she said.

DOT Project Engineer Wendy Johnson said she would continue to take input, which can be emailed to her at Wendy.Johnson@dot.nh.gov. The project website is www.108TriCityCompleteStreets.com.