==
Bike-Walk Alliance of NH == 
Memorial Bridge project page
. 
Original
Memorial Bridge and graphic of the new bridge
Memorial
Bridge closed for all users effective Monday, January 9, 2012 at 8:00 am
Bike-ped travel between Portsmouth NH and Kittery ME has long depended upon the Memorial Bridge. With it being dismantled in January 2012 and the replacement bridge not due to open until June 2013, many people are concerned about how to cross the river for 18 months. This page will list updates as they become known to BWA-NH. For immediate news or to submit updates, please contact the BWA-NH office at info@bwanh.org, call 603.898.9926, or visit the official Memorial Bridge Project web site.
View the "Demolition Cam"
A
Memorial Bridge "Demolition Cam" has been installed allowing anyone
with Internet access to view the work being done on the project, 24 x 7 x 365.
The static view is updated about every 20 seconds.
http://www.portsmouthwebcam.com/index.php/memorial-bridge
Views of the bridge
project, ships going up and down the river, tugboats in operation, and downtown
Portsmouth are quite spectacular, especially the night scenes. Why not check
them out?
May 7, 2012 update:
As posted on the Memorial
Bridge Project web site today, the detour signs located on the roadway network
between Kittery and Portsmouth have been enhanced based upon feedback from the
public. Archer Western hopes that residents and visitors to the area will find
it easy to travel back and forth over the river during this temporary closure
of the Memorial Bridge. In addition, Archer Western has prepared six
new bicycle detour signs and these will be installed early this week.
April 21, 2012 update:
The last section of the Memorial Bridge (Kittery end) was floated out at approximately 10:00 am today. It was taken via barge to the NH State Pier near Prescott Park for final preparations to make the trip to a scrapyard in Massachuesetts.
April 19, 2012 update:
News from the
NH-DOT Memorial Bridge Project Public Outreach Coordinator: The bicycle
detour signs will be posted on the roads on 4/27/12 or shortly after. The DOTs
and Archer Western have evaluated the routes, as we discussed, at the bike/ped
meeting. Most if not all suggestions were incorporated. Bicyclists will now
be advised before the bridge, on main routes, and at the bridge, that they must
use to shuttle to cross the river. The signs direct them to the shuttle.
April 16, 2012 update:
On April 10, the
Memorial Bridge Bike-Ped Outreach Committee under NH-DOT Project Manager Keith
Cota held their second meeting at the Kittery Trading Post, Kittery ME. Details
about the severe deterioration of the Sarah Long Bridge railing were presented
along with plans for new barriers to be placed on the 30-foot deck to prevent
a motorist from crashing into the railing. This barrier will reduce the effective
deck width to 25 feet thereby eliminating any chance of bicyclists using the
bridge. Both Maine DOT and NH-DOT concurred with the need for the barriers.
That decision will lead to more dependency on the shuttle service which has
been working very well for the first three months of operation. Only two people
were denied a shuttle ride at the time of their choice because the shuttle was
full. What happens "in season" remains to be seen.
The possibility of cyclists following the detour signs then not being allowed
to cross the Sarah Long Bridge was addressed by the committee. At this time,
new signage is planned to direct cyclists to the shuttle stops near each end
of the closed Memorial Bridge. An alternate plan was proposed by BWA-NH to have
the shuttle stop at each end of the Sarah Long Bridge since each shuttle trip
goes on that route anyway - except in rare cases if the bridge is closed. The
extra "on demand" stops would not add significant cost or time to
the current shuttle trips. Two safe and convenient shuttle stops would have
to be defined and signed, one near Albacore Park in Portsmouth and the other
on Bridge Street in Kittery. This idea was taken under advisement but for now
the plan is to direct all bicyclists and pedestrians to board and depart the
shuttle only at the existing stops near the Memorial Bridge. The shuttle drivers
are presently not allowed to stop anywhere along the route.
Meanwhile, an effort to inform more bicyclists about the "bridge out"
condition and the shuttle service guidelines will include the use of several
email listserves maintained by various cycling organizations. The East Coast
Greenway Alliance (ECGA), Seacoast Area Bike Routes (SABR), Eastern Trail (ET),
Granite State Wheelmen (GSW), Bicycle Coalition of Maine (BCM), and Bike-Walk
Alliance of NH (BWA-NH) are expected to participate. Postings of general interest
will be made directly by the NH-DOT Public Outreach Coordinator.
A new web site dedicated exclusively to the Memorial Bridge project is now on-line
and definitely worth checking regularly. Check it out at http://www.memorialbridgeproject.com.
As of April 16, the web site is incomplete so all links are not active and the
Bike-Ped Committee is referenced only as a footnote. Upon completion, BWA-NH,
BCM, and SABR will be listed as members of that committee.
One goal of the above communications is to inform both individual cyclists and
organizations normally using the coastal route to either avoid the area during
the 18-month Memorial Bridge project, expect delays if attempting to use the
shuttle service, or plan to take a 26-mile detour to cross the Piscataqua River
at Dover, NH. By planning ahead and working together, we hope to minimize problems
for bicyclists and pedestrians in the Portsmouth / Kittery area.
March 16, 2012 update:
With many thanks to NH-DOT's Keith Cota, Bill Cass, and Denis Switzer, BWA-NH and BCM each now have one of the unique "No Riding Bicycles on Sidewalk" signs from the Memorial Bridge. Thousands of bicyclists walked their bikes along the wood-decked sidewalk and under the signs for many years. The signs were presented to Dave Topham (BWA-NH) by Denis Switzer with photos taken by Larry Keniston, NH-DOT Bike-Ped Coordinator, at the Hazen Drive headquarters on March 16. BWA-NH will have the sign on display in our 57 Regional Drive office. The one for the Bicycle Coalition of Maine may go to their office in Augusta via Joel Savilonis, BCM Board member and BWA-NH Co-Founder. The Eastern Trail signs indicate the route is part of the East Coast Greenway.
.
NH-DOT's
Larry Keniston and Denis Switzer present old
Memorial Bridge signs to Dave Topham, BWA-NH Director, March 16, 2012
.
Memorial Bridge bike signs as last seen in place on January 7, 2012
March 4, 2012 update:
As
follow-up to the February 16 "Bike-Ped Outreach Committee" meeting
in Kittery, BWA-NH has been in contact with Maine DOT, NH DOT, and Grace Limousine
which runs the shuttle service. Information requested at the meeting was provided
by both DOTs about the Sarah Long Bridge, this including details about the deteriorated
condition of the guard rails. (See
photos and a cross-section view of the bridge.) Concerns about the
shuttle service relate to capacity and the need to service local residents and
workers before tourists and large cycling groups who, with advance notice, could
alter their plans and not overtax the shuttle service. At the very least, an
additional shuttle allowing 30-minute departures seems to be possible for in-season
traffic.
One other shuttle concern involves the driver not having a good view of bicycles
being loaded and unloaded on the rear five-bike carrier. The drivers are very
well trained, courteous, and safety conscious, but the "blind spot"
immediately behind the shuttle is a handicap and could be a safety issue. In
one case observed on February 16, the driver had to "jockey" the shuttle
into position for a wheelchair user to access loading ramp / lift mechanism.
At the same time, bicyclists were unloading three bikes from the rear rack.
The driver asked a person on the sidewalk if he could safely back up, and the
answer was "No!" After about another minute, the bicyclists were clear
of the shuttle whereupon the driver was given an "OK" by the "sidewalk
monitor" to back up. This observation was reported along with the suggestion
to install a rear-view
video camera so all activity in the "blind spot" would be visible
to the shuttle driver without leaving his seat. Cost of a camera system for
such vehicles is under
$300.00 plus installation time of about an hour. Two replies were received
stating the concern did not justify the cost which was not included in the shuttle
contract so no camera will be installed. That may be the final answer, but for
passenger safety and convenience of the driver, BWA-NH feels the expense is
minor compared to one incident resulting in an injury or damage.
FHWA
Administrator Victor Mendez Gets First-Hand Look at Preparations for New Memorial
Bridge Construction on February 8. View the complete "Briefing
Room" report from US DOT here.
February
16, 2012 update:
The first Memorial
Bridge "Bike-Ped Outreach Committee" meeting was held in Kittery ME
with Keith Cota, NH-DOT Chief Project Manager, as the chairperson. Both Maine
and NH DOTs were well represented as were local bike-ped advocacy groups and
supporters including BWA-NH, BCM, SABR, COAST, Eastern Trail, and the Portsmouth
Chamber of Commerce. Many facts, figures, concerns, and ideas including bike
access to the Sarah Long Bridge were discussed at length. While no decisions
were made nor expected at the meeting, BWA-NH feels both DOTs have a better
understanding of bike-ped needs, especially during the upcoming prime cycling
and tourist season. The current shuttle service has accommodated all users very
well to date with the exception of two trips when someone had to be left behind
since all seats were filled. We expect this to happen more frequently later
this year. The shuttle will seat 12 passengers plus 5 bikes on a rear Thule
rack, and two wheelchairs or two standard bikes inside the rear of the shuttle.
The possibility of bicyclists using the Sarah Long Bridge (legally) is still
on the table but does not look likely at this date. If it were to be used, recreational
and group rides would not be recommended as the need is for utilitarian cyclists.
More details about the need for a new guardrail with a 28" base to be placed
in the travel lanes was requested from Maine DOT which cited a recent engineering
inspection report. BWA-NH attempted to summarize known bike-ped concerns, questions,
and ideas with a one-page
handout which seemed to be well received. The committee plans to meet again
next month when more information is available.
While in the area, Dave Topham of BWA-NH elected to ride the shuttle from Kittery
to Portsmouth and back, one round trip starting at 2:00 pm, the second at 9:00
pm. Charley LaFlamme of BCM also took the 9:00 pm trip. Casual conversations
with other passengers and the drivers highlighted the same concerns expressed
at the 4:00 pm meeting. Basically, those living and working in the area fear
they will not be able to get a shuttle ride once tourists arrive. Without being
able to bike across the Sarah Long Bridge, the only option is a taxi ride for
$20-$25. There is no regular bus service between Kittery and Portsmouth.
The shuttle ridership was noted on both round trips today and the route tracked
using the GPS-enabled "Map My Ride" application on a Smartphone. Details
follow, but note the actual trip time reflects the best conditions: no heavy
traffic, no accidents, and the Sarah Long Bridge lift section was not up for
a passing ship. Passenger and bike loading was very efficient while about eight
minutes were required to load and secure one person in a wheelchair. Given increased
motor traffic, congestion, and the SLB being raised more often "in season",
a shuttle bus could not be expected to make one trip, one-way, in much less
than the allotted half hour. The ideal conditions of today will not always be
the case. Here are the details as logged today; travel time is strictly the
time between locations, not loading and unloading time:
2:00 pm, Kittery to Portsmouth: 2 passengers, no bikes, ~8 minutes travel time
2:30 pm, Portsmouth to Kittery: 7 passengers, 3 with bikes, ~7 minutes travel
9:00 pm, Kittery to Portsmouth: 3 passengers, no bikes (see below)
9:30 pm, Portsmouth to Kittery: 9 passengers, 3 with bikes (see below)
GPS tracking of the night trips:
9:00 pm, K to P: 2.66 miles, average speed 19.6 mph, 8 min 8 sec
9:30 pm, P to K: 2.24 miles, average speed 20.5 mph, 6 min 34 sec
Bottom line, the meeting and test rides on the shuttle are considered very informative
and useful as we try to predict future problems and recommend solutions. Some
photos of today's activities will be posted soon.
February 7, 2012 update:
News Flash: At the BCM / Maine-DOT meeting in Augusta today, a new piece of information was presented by M-DOT which completely changes the possibility of bicyclists using the Sarah Long Bridge. It seems the guardrails on the outside edge of the narrow walkway are severely deteriorated and must be replaced. For structural engineering reasons not yet known, the guardrails cannot be simply replaced but rather new railings are to be constructed within the 30-foot curb-to-curb deck. Each new railing would be 28 inches from the curbing leaving only 25.3 feet for all travel lanes. The proposed "4-11-11-4" lane scheme (or better, the "4.5-10.5-10.5-4.5" scheme) would be reduced to a "2-10.5-10.5-2" foot lane layout thereby not allowing space for motorists to pass bicyclists. (And "bicyclists may use full lane" is not an option on the 0.7 mile long bridge.) A second concern raised by M-DOT is the chance (read "liability") of a cyclist not stopping for the gate when the draw bridge is being raised. Bridge staffing and cameras are not set-up to monitor bicyclists so for "safety reasons" bicyclists have never been allowed on the bridge. Some cyclists have ignored the restriction for years but they were few in number so no enforcement action was taken. If the restriction were lifted, the likelihood of problems would be greatly increased. These facts and more will be reviewed at the February 16 meeting in Kittery, but at this point the relocated guardrails would be a "show stopper" for bicyclists gaining legal access to the Sarah Long Bridge.
While BCM representatives
met with Maine DOT officials in Augusta today, the center lift section of the
Memorial Bridge was to be removed and "floated out" to a port in Massachusetts
where it will be cut-up for scrap. The web cam has been very popular today as
the public views the historic 90-year-old bridge being taken apart.
February 1, 2012 update:
On February 7,
the Bicycle Coalition of Maine (BCM) will meet with Maine DOT in Augusta concerning
the Memorial Bridge project and bicycle access to the Sarah Long Bridge. On
February 16, BCM, BWA-NH, and many other bike-ped organizations will meet with
the Memorial Bridge project management at an "invitation only" Public
Advocacy / Outreach event in Kittery, ME. Several topics to be addressed include
bicycle access to the Sarah Long Bridge, shuttle service capacity and ability
to carry "non-standard" bikes, and "belvederes" (otherwise
called "bump outs") on the new Memorial Bridge sidewalks to allow
look-out points for pedestrians without blocking use of the sidewalks.
January 18, 2012 update:
A
Memorial Bridge "Demolition Cam" has been installed allowing anyone
with Internet access to view the work being done on the project, 24 x 7 x 365.
The static view is updated about every 20 seconds.
http://www.portsmouthwebcam.com/index.php/memorial-bridge
Views of the bridge,
ships going up and down the river, tugboats in operation, and downtown Portsmouth
are quite spectacular, especially the night scenes. Why not check them out?
January 12, 2012 update:
A public "Open
House" covering all aspects and concerns of the project was held at the
Portsmouth City Hall from 4-8 pm. However, due to poor travel conditions many
people including some bike-ped advocates did not attend. A specific bike-ped
advisory / outreach committee is to be formed per inputs from NH-DOT. BWA-NH
and the Bicycle Coalition of Maine will be represented on that committee. The
formation date has not been announced as yet.
January 8, 2012 update:
Details
about the shuttle service have been posted on the NH-DOT web site:
A new shuttle bus service associated with this bridge replacement project will begin operations on January 9 at 5:00 am. The bus will accommodate 12 passengers and seven bicycles and is handicapped accessible.
The shuttle service will run daily from 5:00 am until 1:00 am seven days a week, leaving from Kittery on the hour and Portsmouth on the half-hour. The Kittery pickup location will be just north of Warrens Restaurant on Water Street. The shuttle will be in Kittery at the top of every hour until 12:00 midnight (last scheduled pickup).
Beginning in Portsmouth at 5:30 am, the pickup location will be at the corner of Daniel Street and Bow Street. The Portsmouth shuttle will leave at the bottom of the hour (i.e. 5:30, 6:30, etc.) until the final pickup is made at 12:30 am and dropping off in Kittery by 1:00 am. The shuttle will then resume four hours later in Kittery.
A new Memorial Bridge project web site will be available later this week that will include a shuttle route map and full schedule. A toll free number will also be available for those who want to comment on the shuttle bus service.
For more details from NH-DOT on this project, visit their web site.
A
"final walk" acrosss the Memorial Bridge
was taken by several BWA-NH members on January 7, 2012. With perfectly clear
skies and the temperature at an unseasonable 52 degrees with no wind, many people
were seen walking across the bridge on the one sidewalk which remained open.
Bicyclists walking their bikes on the sidewalk were enjoying the day as almost
everyone snapped photos of the bridge and the scenic Portsmouth Harbor. Some
views of the day appear below and on the next
page where additional info about
all three bridges connecting Portsmouth and Kittery may be reviewed.
.
Portsmouth end of the Memorial Bridge, January 7, 2012
January 7, 2012 update:
Final closure of the Memorial Bridge on Monday, January 9, 2012 confirmed. Shuttle service begins.
Public "Open House" to address all concerns (including bike-ped travel during the 18-month bridge replacement project) to be held at the Portsmouth City Hall on Thursday, January 12, 4-8 pm.
The following email from NH-DOT Chief Project Manager Keith Cota provides more details. Feel free to attend the "Open House" while this page will be updated for general reference as additional info becomes available.
----- Original Message -----
From: Keith Cota
Sent: Friday, January 06, 2012 5:39 PM
Subject: Portsmouth-Kittery 13678F - Open House Meeting, Portsmouth City Council
Chambers, Thursday, Jnauary 12th (4:00 PM to 8:00 PM)
Dear Bike and Walk Organizations, Chamber of Commerce members, & local
officials:
The New Hampshire Department of Transportation (NHDOT) wants to take the opportunity
to cordially invite you to attend an Open House for the Memorial Bridge Project
on Thursday, January 12 from 4 to 8 pm at the Portsmouth City Hall Council Chambers.
The purpose of the Open House is to give the public an informal opportunity to ask questions about all aspects of the new bridges design and construction and for the public to meet representatives from the NHDOT and the design-build team for the replacement project.
The NHDOT, along with our Maine DOT partner in the project, is committed to getting information out to all interested persons. This event is part of our ongoing efforts to reach out to a broad audience regarding this historic project.
The Open House will be an informal event, with individual tables and displays focused on design, construction timeline and milestones, public outreach, environmental impacts, and the bus shuttle service that will begin when the Memorial Bridge is closed to all traffic on the morning of January 9, 2012. There will be no formal presentations during the Open House. Interested persons are invited to drop in and leave at any time. Comments will be welcomed in writing as well as verbally.
I anticipate you or member of your organization will be invited to assist the NHDOT and MaineDOT as a member of a Bike/Pedestrian Outreach Committee to help steer discussion on river crossing needs between the two States as the Memorial Bridge is completed. I hope to see you at the open house event. In the meantime, if you have questions, please contact me directly at (603) 271-1615 or KCota@dot.state.nh.us. Or contact the projects Public Outreach Coordinator, Jennifer Zorn at (603)812-7132 or JZorn@mjinc.com.
Keith A. Cota, PE
Chief Project Manager
NH Department of Transportation
Bureau of Highway Design
7 Hazen Drive, PO Box 483
Concord, NH 03302-0483
Phone: (603) 271-1615
Fax: (603) 271-7025
Email: kcota@dot.state.nh.us
For more details
from NH-DOT on this project, visit
their web site.
January 3, 2012 update:
Total closure of the Memorial Bridge expected January 9, 2012. This date might slip to January 16 -- but don't plan on it! Info was obtained by BWA-NH from NH-DOT Chief Project Manager Keith Cota. The bridge lift span will be prepared for removal on January 30.
The
free hourly bike-ped shuttle service is scheduled to start on January 9.
Various organizations including BWA-NH, the Bicycle Coalition of Maine, and
the Rockingham Regional Planning Commission have expressed serious concerns
that the proposed 12 passenger/7 bike shuttle service will be totally inadequate.
Discussions are underway to utilize a larger shuttle vehicle running every 30
minutes and to allow bicycles on the Sarah Mildred Long Bridge, well before
the Public Outreach Advisory Committee is formed. This committee will involve
all parties interested in all aspects of the complete project -- there will
not be a separate committee to address bike-ped concerns.
January 2, 2012 update:
The Memorial Bridge between Portsmouth NH and Kittery ME will be closed for bike-ped travel and dismantling started any day in this month of January 2012. Discussions between the Maine DOT and NH-DOT with the Bike-Walk Alliance of NH and the Bicycle Coalition of Maine are underway concerning bike-ped crossings for the approximate 18 months before the new Memorial Bridge should be available. The two DOTs propose to provide an hourly free shuttle service to transport 12 people and up to six bikes across the river using the Sarah Long Bridge, the old Route 1 "middle bridge." How that plan would accommodate the approximate 900 crossings per workday, most at commuter hours and more on "tourist weekends", is not understood. BWA-NH and BCM are recommending the Sarah Long Bridge bike ban be lifted, re-stripe the lanes to AASHTO guidelines, post a few signs, and let the shuttle service be used only for pedestrians and the disabled. Presently both DOTs claim the Sarah Long Bridge is "unsafe" for bicyclists, but why we don't know. With 30-feet curb-to-curb, a good surface, 35-40 MPH motor traffic, and easy on/off locations, the bike community does not see the bridge to be any more "unsafe" than a regular two-lane road which might not be a full 30 feet wide. Note the new "state-of-the-art" Memorial Bridge to be completed in 2013 will have a 32-foot lane width including five-foot bike lanes in each direction, plus two six-foot sidewalks. One or more "Public Outreach / Advisory Committees" are planned by the DOTs with NH-DOT taking the leading role - and BWA-NH will be at the table.
Details
about the Memorial Bridge project may be viewed on the NH-DOT
web site.
. 
Left
photo shows the 89-year-old Memorial Bridge to be dismantled
in January 2012. Right photo shows an engineering rendition of the new bridge
due to open in June 2013. Compare the lane widths of the new bridge
to the existing Sarah Long Bridge below.
.
Views
of the Sarah Long Bridge traveling south from Kittery to
Portsmouth. Note the 14-foot travel lanes and smooth pavement.
Bicyclists are presently restricted from using this bridge. Why?
December 2011 update:
The
Memorial Bridge between Portsmouth NH and Kittery ME will be replaced
starting in January 2012 with the new bridge targeted to be functional in July
2013. The 88-year-old bridge was in very poor condition and was abruptly closed
to motor vehicles on July 27, 2011. Bike-ped crossings of about 900 a day continued
for the rest of the year. With no bridge for at least 18 months, an hourly bus
shuttle service running from 5 am to 1 am, seven days a week, is the current
plan. The 12 passenger bus capable of carrying seven bikes is considered totally
inadequate by BWA-NH and was so expressed at a hearing in Portsmouth on November
29. A follow-up email was sent to the project managers and NH-DOT officials
since there will be "Public Outreach Committees" dealing with local
concerns during the project and even about aesthetics of the bridge itself.
Many cyclists including BWA-NH feel the Sarah Mildred Long Bridge (the "middle
bridge") could be used for vehicular cyclists and leave the shuttle for
pedestrians, disabled, and bicyclists who cannot pedal about half a mile on
a two-lane, 30-foot wide roadway. The new Memorial Bridge is to allow cyclists
on the roadway in two five-foot lanes with the curb-to-curb width being 32 feet.
The Sarah Long Bridge is considered "unsafe" for bicyclists by some
people in the Maine and NH DOTs. However, all ideas are still "on the table"
as we seek a more practical crossing between Portsmouth and Kittery without
biking to Dover, a detour of about 28 miles on many roads not great for cycling.
A detour route over the Sarah Long Bridge from Prescott Park in Portsmouth (NH
end of the Memorial Bridge) to Warren's Lobster House in Kittery (Maine end
of the Memorial Bridge) would be about three miles by bike. The Memorial Bridge
"detour" signs lead all vehicles including bicyclists to the Sarah
Long Bridge, so what do hundreds of cyclists per hour do when they cannot cross
the river if the restriction is not lifted? More discussion on this topic with
various DOT officials is definitely expected before prime cycling season resumes.
Details
about the Memorial Bridge project may be viewed on the NH-DOT
web site.
A little photo history of the Memorial Bridge
.
Memorial
Bridge, Portsmouth NH side looking toward Kittery ME.
September 25, 2010, GSW Seacoast Century Weekend with green lights.
Bridge closed, bike-ped crossings allowed, July 27, 2011, photo taken August
14, 2011.
Photos
courtesy of Barbara Amos and Dave Topham.
.
Memorial
Bridge as of August 14, 2011. Note the red lights.
As of January 2012, we expect no lights and no bridge. Plague reads:
"Memorial to the Sailors and Soldiers of New Hampshire
who participated in the World War 1917-1919"
Views
of the Sarah Mildred Long Bridge
.
Sarah
Mildred Long Bridge approach, Kittery, Maine and crossing the
bridge toward Portsmouth, NH, August 5, 2011. Note the 30-foot-wide
roadway with 14-foot travel lanes and one-foot shoulders on this
35 MPH road with a smooth concrete surface and excellent sight lines.
Recommend 4-11-11-4 striping to create bike lanes.
September 2011 update:
Bicycling along the seacoast between Portsmouth NH and Kittery ME will be affected for years by the closing of the Memorial Bridge on the extremely popular coast route. On July 27, the bridge was closed to all motor vehicles due to severe deterioration and safety concerns while bike-ped traffic is to be allowed until November - provided the lift mechanism continues to function. After that, the bridge will be dismantled and a new $90M bridge will be constructed as a replacement but that will not be completed until mid-2013 at the earliest. Meanwhile, the other two Portsmouth-Kittery bridges (Sarah Long and I-95) do not presently allow bike-ped traffic. The next closest bridge is in Dover NH, a 28-mile detour. BWA-NH, other area advocates, NH-DOT, and Maine DOT are seeking a solution which will involve the Sarah Long Bridge which is on the Route 1 By-Pass. Shuttle service, escorted bike trains, and reconfiguring the 30-foot roadway to allow a 4-5 foot bike lane in each direction are all under consideration. Local bike and pedestrian commuters plus those with disabilities must be accommodated while large cycling events require far greater capacity than could be handled by a shuttle bus. Many discussions are underway but presently re-striping the lanes on the Sarah Long Bridge and lifting the restriction on bicycling seems to be gaining favor. A shuttle service may still be used for pedestrians and the disabled. Stay tuned for more details!
Note:
For immediate news or to submit updates, please contact the BWA-NH office at info@bwanh.org or call 603.898.9926.