Update on GACIT Ten Year Transportation Plan Development Process
2017-11-28
The Governor's Advisory Commission on Intermodal Transportation (GACIT) met on Wednesday November 22 to review public input gathered from 23 public hearings held around the state in September and October on the Draft 2019-2028 Ten Year Transportation Plan. At the meeting Executive Councilor Russell Prescott moved to amend the draft plan to include the revised project recommendations approved by the RPC MPO Policy Committee. These prioritized four relatively small, geographically distributed projects rather than the single large Route 1/101 intersection realignment project initially selected by NHDOT. The four projects included:
1) Shoulder and sidewalk improvements in New Castle and Rye on Routes 1A & 1B;
2) Signalization, turn lanes and realignment of the intersection of Route 108 and Bunker Hill Avenue in Stratham;
3) Signalization and intersection improvements of the intersection of Route 121/Depot Road/Derry Road in Hampstead; and
4) Capacity improvements on Route 1 in Seabrook between New Zealand Road and the Hampton Falls town line.
The GACIT members also discussed a proposed toll increase that would expedite a long list of capital projects on the turnpike system and free up federal funding for non-turnpike projects. Projects in the RPC region that would benefit include expansion of open road tolling in Hampton, the I95 Piscataqua River Bridge rehabilitation, and a new soundwall program that was a focus of comments at the Portsmouth GACIT hearing. The GACIT will meet twice more in December (12/6 and 12/20) to finalize their draft of the Ten Year Plan before sending it to the Governor for review in late December. Following review by the Governor the draft plan will go to the Legislature in the upcoming term. Final approval of the plan is anticipate in June 2018.
With questions contact Scott Bogle (sbogle@rpc-nh.org) or Dave Walker (dwalker@rpc-nh.org)
