Informational meeting Thursday for phase 2 of Exit 4A project off I-93

Paul Feely, The New Hampshire Union Leader, Manchester
·2 min read

Sep. 19—State transportation officials will provide a design update later this week on the Interstate 93 Exit 4A project in Londonderry and Derry.

The public meeting will be held Thursday, Sept. 22 at 6 p.m. at the West Running Brook Middle School in Derry.

Officials will discuss the second major construction effort of the project, set to begin at the Londonderry/Derry town line and proceed easterly to just east of Pinkerton Street in Derry.

This phase of the overall project includes the construction of a portion of a new connector road, Old Rum Trail, the reconstruction of Folsom Road, and reconstructing a portion of Tsienneto Road. Work will end just east of the intersection with Tsienneto Road and Pinkerton Street.

The meeting will include an open house, beginning at 6 p.m., allowing participants a chance to review the project plans and ask questions of the project team members, followed by a formal presentation at 7 p.m.

The presentation materials will be posted after the meeting at https://www.i93exit4a.com/.

Construction on the first of three phases for the new Exit 4A got underway in early August.

Local officials have viewed this project as critical to their efforts to expand economic growth to land directly off the turnpike in both communities

This phase of the work calls for constructing the new Exit 4A off I-93 and building a new connector road (Olde Rum Trail) that will carry traffic to the Derry-Londonderry line.

The new exit will be 1.25 miles north of Exit 4 and 2.25 miles south of Exit 5.

The project will also include building a new bridge over I-93, relocating the Wheeler Pond tributary and erecting sound abatement walls along this section of interstate.

Weaver Brothers Construction Co. in Bow will complete the $45.5 million first phase, expected to be completed in October 2024. The entire project, with upgrades to Folsom Road, Tsienneto Road and Route 102, is expected to be completed in 2026.

This project has been in the works for decades. According to NH DOT, after initial planning and preliminary engineering in the mid-1980s, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) preliminarily approved the project under the condition that an environmental impact statement (EIS) be prepared. The EIS process began in 1998.

State officials estimate the total cost for the project at $112 million. Federal grants will pay for 80% of the project. The state's 20% match is being paid for with turnpike toll credits.