Lifetime Citizen Portal Access — AI Briefings, Alerts & Unlimited Follows
New Hampshire DOT outlines $33.1 million plan to replace two Merrimack bridges, warns of detours
Loading...
Summary
The New Hampshire Department of Transportation told the Merrimack Town Council the 13761B contract will replace two bridges over the F.E. Everett Turnpike (Wire Road and Paboosic Lake Road), cost about $33.1 million, require temporary bridges and overnight turnpike closures, and is expected to shift traffic midsummer with major construction through 2027'28.
Wendy Johnson, a project manager with the New Hampshire Department of Transportation, told the Merrimack Town Council on March 12 that the 13761B contract will replace two bridges that now constrict traffic on the F.E. Everett Turnpike and will cost an estimated $33,100,000.
The project covers two bridge replacements (Wire Road and Paboosic Lake Road), median improvements to remove a recurring "necking" from three lanes to two, and roadway work intended to add an additional travel lane and improve safety, Johnson said. "The goal of this project is to get rid of those bottleneck locations and to improve safety," she said.
The project team includes James McHale, who identified himself as the NHDOT Bureau of Construction representative overseeing work on the contract, and Benjamin Zagopoulos of Weaver Brothers Construction, the contractor responsible for the bridges. McHale described traffic-control plans designed to keep two lanes open through the work zone for most daytime operations and to use overnight work windows on the Everett Turnpike for activities that require lane closures. He said typical daytime work hours will be 7:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with temporary lane closures generally scheduled 8:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. outside school-bussing times, night lane closures (northbound 8:00 p.m. to 6:30 a.m.; southbound 7:00 p.m. to 5:30 a.m.), rolling roadblocks during some operations, and two full overnight closures on the Everett Turnpike (one to deploy a temporary bridge and one to remove it).
Zagopoulos said sequence and milestones anticipate a midsummer traffic switch to a temporary detour alignment for Babousic/Paboosic Lake Road to allow demolition of the existing bridge and construction of the new span. "We'll immediately demolish the existing bridge, begin construction on the new bridge, tie in any remaining drainage," he said, and projected major superstructure work through the fall with deck and paving work expected in 2028 and final cleanup into mid-2028.
Residents raised questions about pedestrian and safety features and environmental impacts. One resident asked whether a chain-link "protective or suicide fence" would be installed; McHale and Johnson said guard rails/rails are planned and they would consider railings on both sides where appropriate. Concerned neighbors asked whether Paboosic Brook would be diverted; Johnson said the project includes a retaining wall and localized drainage realignment but "we aren't impacting the brook" beyond outlet realignment. Neighbors also questioned the removal of trees and early morning equipment startups. NHDOT said the town could replant after construction and offered to have the project's noise specialist contact residents about sound issues.
The presenters said school buses should be able to use the temporary bridge alignment but that overweight permitted vehicles may require route surveys and coordination. NHDOT also said there would be no turnpike closures on town voting days or during special town events, and that message boards and press releases would be used to publicize closures in advance.
The department said project graphics and presentation materials will be posted on the town website after staff complete an ADA-related update to that page; NHDOT offered multiple contact points for follow-up (Wendy Johnson, district construction engineer Greg Chodesky, James McHale and Benjamin Zagopoulos).
