Hackett Hill/Main Street intersection project cost jumps to $10.8 million; town to report its share later

Town Administrator Andre told the Hooksett Town Council that state officials approved a revised cost estimate for the Hackett Hill and Main Street intersection work on Route 3A, and the project budget has increased from about $4.4 million to $10.8 million.

Andre said the project now covers two intersections and that the state and federal programs will pay the majority of the cost, but because the work is municipally managed, the town remains responsible for part of the local match. He said more detail on the town’s share and the breakdown of costs would be presented to the council at a future meeting.

The administrator and councilors discussed the wider fiscal context: the state has communicated it is overextended on other projects by roughly $400 million and is studying options to raise revenue, including tolls and gasoline tax changes. The council heard that such statewide funding pressure could affect timing and financing of projects that rely on state or federal dollars.

Andre said project scope and higher unit prices were driving the increase and that the town’s consulting engineer and state representatives had presented the revised cost estimates to the New Hampshire Department of Transportation, which approved the higher amount for the town-managed project. He committed to returning to the council with a full cost breakdown, the town’s anticipated share and a timeline for implementation.

Councilors asked that the town continue to press to keep the project in the state 10-year plan and that project staff continue to seek available state and federal funding. No formal council action was taken at the meeting; the item was reported as part of the town administrator’s regular updates.