N.H. DOT outlines $17 million Route 101 rehabilitation, bridge replacement and roundabout plan in Swanzey

State Department of Transportation staff and their consultant presented designs and a timetable for a federally funded rehabilitation of Route 101 east of Keene at a Swanzey Select Board meeting, including a full replacement of the red‑listed 1933 Branch River bridge, wider 5‑foot shoulders, drainage and stormwater treatment, and a new roundabout to reconfigure the Swansea Factory Road intersection.

The project, which DOT and consultant CHA described as about 1 mile of roadway with an estimated $17,000,000 construction cost, is intended to address failing pavement, poor drainage, structural problems with the Branch River bridge and limited pedestrian and bicycle accommodations along the corridor. Ellen Mosher, project manager with CHA, said the bridge “is on the state's red list” and that nondestructive testing found alkali‑silica reaction (ASR) in concrete cores, prompting a recommendation to replace the structure rather than attempt rehabilitation.

Why it matters: the corridor carries significant daily traffic, serves adjacent homes and small businesses, and contains constrained geometry because of the Branch River and steep slopes. DOT presenters said the replacement and shoulder widening aim to improve safety for motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists, reduce recurring pavement work and address an aging concrete slab under the roadway.

What DOT proposes and why: Dave Smith of N.H. DOT and CHA staff described their preferred concept (labeled alternative 2c) that realigns Swansea Factory…