N.H. DOT proposes five-lane widening of Route 3 in Hooksett; hearing draws business and resident concerns

Good evening. The New Hampshire Department of Transportation formally presented its preferred alternative for improvements to U.S. Route 3 in Hooksett during a public hearing on May 15, 2025, outlining a five‑lane typical section, new sidewalks and three stormwater treatment basins.

The hearing, convened by Commission Chairman Thomas Morgan and led by project manager David Smith, focused on a 1.4‑mile stretch of US‑3 from Alice Avenue north to the Whitehall Road/Martins Ferry Road intersection. "The purpose of the project is to improve safety and mobility along this segment of Route 3 for all users," David Smith said during the presentation. The plan would add a travel lane in each direction, 5‑foot shoulders, 6‑foot sidewalks in selected segments, median islands at strategic locations and a closed storm‑drain system with water‑quality basins.

Why it matters: DOT officials said the improvements respond to congestion and safety issues on the corridor, citing an estimated 404 crashes over a 10‑year period and a pedestrian fatality in 2020. The project is listed in the state's…