NH Gov. Lynch, Commissioner Campbell Announce Aggressive Paving Program

March 19, 2009 -- CONCORD - New Hampshire Governor John Lynch and Transportation Commissioner George Campbell today announced the state Department of Transportation would use a portion of federal stimulus funding to embark on an aggressive road resurfacing program.

In total, the DOT plans to pave nearly 760 miles of roads across all 10 New Hampshire counties this year. Without federal stimulus funding, the DOT would have only been able to contract for 250 miles of road resurfacing.

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“With these federal stimulus dollars we will be able to undertake an aggressive program to resurface roads across the state, improving our infrastructure for the future and providing jobs now for our citizens,” Gov. Lynch said. “I am pleased our Department of Transportation has been able to work quickly to develop this program that will allow us to improve the condition of our roads and bridges across the State of New Hampshire,” Gov. Lynch said.

The Department of Transportation has already begun the process of advertising and awarding contracts for road and bridge improvements.

In all, the DOT has advertised $70 million worth of stimulus-funded projects. DOT will ask the Governor and Council to approve the first contract, a $7.8 million pavement rehabilitation project on NH Route 101 in Epping-Exeter, at the council’s next meeting on April 1.

“In addition to boosting major transportation improvement projects like the rebuilding of Interstate 93 and the Manchester Airport Access Road, the Recovery Act federal funding will allow the New Hampshire Department of Transportation to triple the amount of pavement resurfacing work originally scheduled for 2009,” said Commissioner Campbell. “This much-needed 760 miles of paving work will touch all parts of the state, putting people to work, helping to preserve our highway system and making a noticeable difference in the quality of the ride for motorists.”

In this first round of funding, NHDOT expects to receive $129 million in federal stimulus funding for infrastructure improvements to roads and bridges.

For more detail regarding the DOT resurfacing plan, go to www.nh.gov/dot/recovery. A map and list of road repaving programs is attached.

Information regarding transportation and other aspects of the federal stimulus package, can be found on the homepage of the Governor’s Office of Economic Stimulus at www.nh.gov/recovery.

Source: New Hampshire Governor