DOT says toll swap could free $86M; $550M in toll revenue would prioritize Exit 6 and Bow–Concord corridor

Toby Reynolds, director of project development at the New Hampshire Department of Transportation, told the Public Works and Highways committee that shifting projects currently funded with federal dollars to turnpike funds — if tolls were raised — could free about $86 million in federal funding for other projects.

Reynolds said the department also modeled a more substantial toll increase that would generate approximately $550 million over the 10‑year plan. With that revenue, DOT would give early priority to safety and condition needs on the turnpike, naming Exit 6 interim and full reconstruction; the I‑93/I‑393 (Bow–Concord) interchange and corridor needs; I‑89 Bow Junction safety improvements; Exit 13 southbound ramp improvements; and then Manchester Exit 7 and remaining Bow–Concord corridor projects.

The presentation included context for the committee: DOT provided a handout with acronym definitions and a list of mandated federal programs such as the Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) and the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) program. Reynolds corrected an earlier figure and said TAP funding is closer to $6,000,000 per year, not the $12–15 million he had cited previously.

Committee members questioned both the mechanics and the tradeoffs. Representative Jack asked how federal funds can be used on turnpike sections; Reynolds replied that sections accessible without paying a toll (where drivers can enter and exit without passing through a toll) are eligible for federal funding, but once federal funds are used on a turnpike segment the project becomes subject to federal requirements. That federalization, the DOT representatives warned, can add restrictions the state would prefer to avoid.

Representative Brown pressed why a new interchange at Exit 6 would be favored over repairs to red‑list (structurally deficient) bridges. DOT said Exit 6 improvements would deliver a larger immediate safety benefit, while some red‑list bridges — including the I‑393 over I‑93 structure — still have remaining service life and are programmed for remediation in the 10‑year window. DOT emphasized it sees value in pursuing both types of work, often sequencing interchange safety fixes in parallel with bridge repairs.

DOT staff explained the bridge condition system the committee requested be added to future handouts: inspection ratings use a 0–10 scale for three components (substructure, superstructure and deck); a rating of 4 on any component is considered structurally deficient and places a bridge on the red list, which triggers six‑month inspections and closer monitoring. Lower ratings can prompt weight postings or more aggressive interventions.

Reynolds cautioned that the priorities he presented were preliminary and meant to illustrate what could be accomplished with the identified revenue scenarios; more detailed traffic, sequencing and engineering work would be required before projects advance to construction.

The committee did not take formal action on the 10‑year plan at this meeting; members asked DOT to supply crash and traffic counts to support comparisons between interchanges and red‑list bridges. The chair said the committee is likely to reconvene on the 10‑year plan at a later date.