Bedford council okays design contract, agrees to sponsor DOT-funded Nashua Road crossing project

The Bedford Town Council on Jan. 21 authorized the town manager to serve as project sponsor with the New Hampshire Department of Transportation for reconstruction of the Nashua Road crossing over Riddle Brook and approved design contracts with Hoyle Tanner for up to $400,000 from local roads funds.

Brian Desfosses, Bedford’s Director of Public Works, told the council the existing stone box culvert partially failed in 2008 and “the crossing cannot adequately pass the 50-year flood event without being overtopped.” He said the full project is estimated at about $2.5 million, of which roughly $2 million would be DOT-funded and about $500,000 the town’s share, and that the town is frontloading design expenses and will seek reimbursement under an 80/20 DOT arrangement. The council unanimously approved the motions to authorize the Town Manager to be the project sponsor and to contract with Hoyle Tanner for design and permitting work.

The council discussed timing and traffic impacts; Desfosses said the plan is to schedule the bulk of construction when schools are not in session and to design detours to minimize disruption near Bedford High School. He also noted the project’s prior inclusion in DOT’s 10-year plan after advocacy at GACIT hearings. The authorization allows the DPW to incur and pay design charges now and seek reimbursement from DOT later, with design encumbrances planned across 2025–2028.

Next steps include finalizing the engineering scope with Hoyle Tanner, confirming the town’s encumbrance schedule for local-road funds, and later placing construction funding on a warrant if required. The motions passed unanimously (6–0).