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January 2009
Get Your Shovels Ready
State DOT Wish List Ignores Legislative Priorities
By Grant D. Bosse

The New Hampshire Department of Transportation Wish List for spending the anticipated
federal windfall from the Obama Administration ignores legislative priorities from the Ten
Year Transportation Improvement Plan, and misses an opportunity to fix every Red List bridge
in the state.

Transportation Commissioner George Campbell has circulated a list of $535 million in projects
the Department says are “shovel ready” to begin construction and create jobs. Yet many of the
projects aren’t scheduled under the Ten Year Plan for several years, and several aren’t included
at all. Campbell put together this Wish List based on assumptions about how Congress would
divvy up the stimulus package, but such decisions are still being made. It’s up to states like
New Hampshire to make sure its priorities are addressed, rather than waiting to receive money
for projects that lawmakers don’t want and can’t afford.

Every two years, the Legislature prioritizes the state’s transportation projects under the Ten
Year Transportation Improvement Plan. The current Plan was approved in June of 20081. The
DOT Wish List does include some projects from the Ten Year Plan, but more than 60% of the
Wish List would go to projects not considered priorities by the Legislature.

The DOT Wish List includes 16 highway and bridge projects, totaling $165.8 million. The
Obama Administration has stated its desire to steer federal stimulus money to “shovel ready”
projects that could create jobs immediately, but many of the DOT projects are still in the
planning stages.

The Obama Administration says that “shovel ready” projects should go out to bid and start
construction within 90 days, allowing federal money to work its way into the economy as
quickly as possible. Projects that need extensive planning or environmental review may
actually be higher priorities for state lawmakers, but would not qualify for federal assistance.

The DOT also asks for $58.7 million for resurfacing and pavement reconstruction projects, most
of which are not included in the Ten Year Plan. It also requests $12 million for resurfacing

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projects in “various locations”, but does not specify where this money would go.

The lion’s share of the Wish List is reserved for trains. $300 million, or 56% of the request,
would be dedicated to bringing commuter rail from Lowell to Nashua to Manchester. The Ten
Year Plan includes $5.25 million for three years of operating expenses, starting in 2011, and $15
million to purchase equipment. Campbell budgets $80 million for this purpose, but doesn’t
anticipate the project going out to bid until February of next year, with an agreement to operate
the rail line by May 2010.
NH DOT Wish List compared to Ten Year Plan
Project Cost Ten Year Plan
Highway-Bridge Projects
Bartlett-Gorham Route 16 Guardrail replacement $3.2 m $3.26 m for 2010
Manchester Airport Access Road Ramps and Bridges $20.6 m $4.6 m for 2009
Conway Bypass Southern Segment $55.0 m Scheduled for 2016
Dover Route 9 Bridge Replacement $4.7 m $4.52 m in 2010
Lebanon, I-89 Exit 20 $14.0 m Scheduled for 2012
Lebanon-Hartford VT, Route 4 Bridge $4.5 m Scheduled for 2010
Portsmouth, I-95 Piscataqua River bridge painting $11.0 m Scheduled for 2010-12
Salem-Manchester, I-93 widening $48.8 m Included
I-95 Electronic Signs $4.0 m $2.4 m in 2009
Subtotal $165.8 m
Resurfacing-Pavement Reconstruction Projects
Concord, I-393 $0.8 m $0.3 m in 2009
Concord, I-93 from Exit 14 to 17 $5.2 m Not included
Epping-Exeter-Hampton, Route 101 $8.0 m $6.0 in 2009
Exeter-Hampton, Route 101 $7.5 m Not included
Manchester, I-93 from Exit 7 to Merrimack River $4.6 m $2.0 m in 2009
New Hampton-Ashland, I-93 from Exit 23 to 24 $3.0 m Not included
New London, I-89 from Exit 11 to 12A $2.4 m Not included
New London-Grantham, I-89 from Exit 12A to 13 $1.1 m Not included
Northfield-Sanbornton, I-93 from Exit 19 to 22 $3.3 m Not included
Plymouth-Tamworth, I-93 from Exit 26 to 29 $1.1 m Not included
Portsmouth, I-95 Traffic Circle to Piscataqua River bridge $1.5 m Not included
Sanbornton-New Hampton, I-93 from Exit 22 to 23 $3.5 m Not included
Woodstock-Lincoln, I-93 from Exit 30 to 32 $4.7 m Not included
District Resurfacing, various locations $12.0 m
Subtotal $58.7 m
Rail Projects
Lowell-Nashua-Manchester, Double Tracking $220.0 m Not included
Equipment and Operating Costs $80.0 m $15 m for equipment
$5.25 m for operating costs for
2011-13
St. Lawrence & Atlantic Rail Line upgrade $10.0 m Not included
Subtotal $310.0 m
Additional Potential Projects
Hampstead, culvert rehab/replacement $0.2 m Not included
Northfield, culvert rehab/replacement $0.3 m Not included
Subtotal $0.5 m
Total $535.0 m

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The Wish List includes $220 million to double the track between Lowell and Manchester, so as
not to interfere with freight rail. Ten Year Plan does not include a second track.

The Department of Transportation Bureau of Bridge Design2 maintains a list of “Red List”
Bridges most in need of repair. The DOT estimates that fixing the 77 bridges in the program
would cost $403 million. The DOT has identified 16 additional bridges to add to the Red List,
which would cost $27 million.
New Hampshire Red List Bridges
Bridge Cost Bridge Cost
Alstead, NH 123 $2,150,349 New London, I-89 SB $600,000
Alton, NH 28 $2,733,461 New London, I-89 NB $600,000
Andover, NH 11 $2,300,000 Ossipee, NH 16/25- Bearcamp River $2,000,000
Bartlett, US 302 $6,401,557 Ossipee, NH 16/25- Relief Bearcamp $2,000,000
Bedford, US 3 $14,093,000 Ossipee, NH 16/25- Lovell River $2,000,000
Bow, I-93 SB $2,500,000 Plymouth, NH 25/3A $2,000,000
Bow, I-93 NB $2,500,000 Portsmouth, NH 33 $7,975,000
Colebrook, Old NH 26 $5,128,933 Portsmouth, US 1 Southbound $2,000,000
Colebrook, Old NH 26 $1,139,763 Portsmouth, US 33 over US 1 $2,000,000
Concord, Delta Drive $1,000,000 Portsmouth, Islington Street $2,000,000
Concord, I-93 $2,400,000 Portsmouth, Woodbury Avenue $2,000,000
Concord, NH 3A $4,000,000 Portsmouth, Stark Street $2,000,000
Dover, NH 9 $5,390,080 Portsmouth, Maplewood Avenue $2,000,000
Enfield, Main Street $11,448,520 Portsmouth, US 1 $57,407,311
Epsom, NH 107 $900,000 Portsmouth, US 1 Bypass $17,490,000
Hampton, NH 1A 9,130,000 Rochester, NH 11 $4,752,000
Hancock, NH 137 $921,091 Rochester, Spaulding Turnpike NB $16,886,000
Haverhill, Newbury Road $4,019,145 Rochester, Spaulding Turnpike SB $13,258,570
Hopkinton, NH 127 $1,500,000 Rochester, Spaulding Ramp $700,000
Lebanon, US 4 over CT River $5,250,000 Rye, NH 1A $3,405,000
Lebanon, US 4 over Hardy Hill Road $1,022,500 Salem, I-93 SB- Pelham Road $6,050,000
Lebanon, I-89 Northbound $2,000,000 Salem, I-93 NB- Pelham Road $6,050,000
Lisbon, US 302-NH 10 $1,500,000 Salem, I-93 SB- NH 38 $9,900,000
Littleton, I-93 Northbound $6,000,000 Salem, I-93 NB- NH 38 $9,900,000
Londonderry, I-93 SB $3,000,000 Salem, I-93 Ramp D SB $3,381,862
Londonderry, I-93 NB $3,000,000 Salem, I-93 Ramp B SB $3,381,862
Londonderry, I-93 SB over NH 28 $3,000,000 Salem, I-93 Ramp D NB $3,381,862
Londonderry, I-93 NB over NH 28 $3,000,000 Salem, I-93 Ramp B NB $3,381,862
Manchester, I-93 SB $3,000,000 Salem, I-93 Ramp B $3,381,862
Manchester, I-293 over N Piscataqua $7,710,000 Salem, I-93 Ramp D $3,381,862
Manchester, I-293 over S Piscataqua $7,710,000 Salem, I-93 Ramp A $3,381,862
Manchester, I-293 Spur $7,710,000 Salem, Cross Street $12,100,000
Manchester, I-293 over Spur $7,710,000 Walpole, Bridge Street $3,290,000
Manchester, I-293 Ramp $7,710,000 Warner, I-89 Southbound $600,000
Manchester, Island Pond Road-93S $3,590,500 Warner, I-89 Northbound $600,000
Manchester, Island Pond Road-93N $3,590,500 Winchester, NH 10 $4,160,000
Merrimack, Turnpike over Souhegan $12,672,517 Windham, I-93- Route 111 $4,000,000
New Castle, NH 1B $4,750,000 Windham, I-93- Route 111A $4,000,000
New Ipswich, NH 123 $2,900,000 77 Bridges in Red List Program $403,911,831

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Supporters of the Obama stimulus bill argue that using federal funds will not only create jobs,
but improve the nation’s aging transportation infrastructure. The DOT Wish List targets
operational and maintenance costs, such as guardrail replacement on Route 16 from Bartlett to
Conway, bridge painting in Portsmouth, and a large number of resurfacing projects. The Wish
List does include replacement of bridges on Route 9 in Dover and Route 4 in Lebanon, as well
as $48.8 million towards the widening I-93 from Salem to Manchester.

Policy makers need to set clear priorities for spending any transportation stimulus money
coming from Washington, using such a one-time boost to pay for long-standing needs, and not
as a way to artificially prop up operating costs. Under the DOT Wish List, rail and resurfacing
projects are at the top of the list, accounting for nearly 69% of the total request. Spending one-
time money on commuter rail also commits New Hampshire taxpayers to picking up the tab in
future years. Should New Hampshire decide to build a commuter rail line to Manchester, it
needs to identify how it will pay for its operation, apart from one-time federal money. Even
the project’s most forceful defenders admit the rail line will need significant annual public
subsidies to keep running, much like the Downeaster line running from Maine to
Massachusetts.

Alternative A: Fix the Red List First

Prioritizing transportation stimulus money towards Red List Bridges would leave $131 million
for additional priorities, which could include the 12 bridges that DOT argues should be added
to the Red List, the Manchester Airport Access Road, the Conway Bypass Southern Section,
and still leave $28.5 million towards resurfacing projects around the state.

Alternative B: Fix the Red List instead of Rail

Redirecting the $300 million from the commuter rail project would fund 75% of the Red List,
plus the I-93, Lebanon, and Dover bridge projects already on the DOT Wish List. This option
would not commit New Hampshire taxpayers to an indefinite annual subsidy for commuter
rail service.

Transportation Priorities for New Hampshire: Three Choices

DOT Red List First Red List instead of Rail
Highway/Bridge $165.8 m 77 Red List Bridges $403.9m Highway/Bridge $165.8 m
($23.2m from Red List)3
Resurfacing $58.7m 12 More Bridges $27.0m Resurfacing $58.7m
Rail $310.0m Manchester Airport $20.6m Additional Red List $300.0m
Access Road Bridges
Other $0.5m Conway Bypass $55.0m Other $10.5m
Resurfacing $28.5m
Total $535.0m Total $535.0m Total $535.0m

The DOT put together its Wish List under the assumption that federal stimulus money would
be allocated to states in certain categories, and that rail projects would have to receive a high
percentage of any package. But such priorities are not set in stone. The size, scope, and limits
of the stimulus package are being debated by Congress. States like New Hampshire should
seek maximum flexibility to use these funds on its existing transportation priorities, rather than
being forced to spend “free” federal money on rail projects it neither needs nor wants.

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Grant Bosse is Lead Investigative Reporter for the Josiah Bartlett Center for Public Policy. Feel free to
contact us at 7 South State Street, Concord, New Hampshire 03224, 603-224-4450,
grantbosse@gmail.com or visit our websites at www.jbartlett.org and at nhwatchdog.blogspot.com.

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1
http://www.nh.gov/dot/bureaus/planning/documents/09-18_TenYrPlan.pdf
2
http://www.nh.gov/dot/bureaus/bridgedesign/documents/redliststatus3-9-2007.pdf
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Dover ($4.7 m), Lebanon I-89 ($14.0 m), Lebanon Route 4 ($4.5 m).