New Hampshire

Judge sides with cyclists; orders halt to Exit 4A road crossing

Published

11 months ago

July 5, 2025

Judge sides with cyclists; orders halt to Exit 4A road crossing

A federal judge is ordering a pause on construction of a stretch of road in Derry after finding that state and federal highway planners failed to follow proper regulations when they altered a proposed rail trail.

The ruling is a victory for the Committee to Save the Derry Rail Trail Tunnel, an advocacy group that argued the state’s shift in design from an underground tunnel for bicycles and pedestrians to a curvy ramp and crosswalk across a 6-lane road violated federal law.

The judge’s order means that the state’s Department of Transportation must decide now whether to appeal, perform a new analysis on the competing rail trail designs, or simply opt to build the underpass, which was its initial proposal.

“We’re not over the goal line yet,” said Bob Spiegelman, a cyclist and member of the rail trail advocacy group. “Hopefully DOT will just come back and regroup, and rather than waste more money and time trying to fight this, we’ll just go ahead and do the right thing and build according to the original approved plan.”

In 2024, state highway officials formally submitted the new design for the crossing. Instead of burrowing under the new exit ramp off of Interstate 93 in Derry, the revised plan called for a ramp leading to the elevated roadway. Officials estimated it would save approximately $770,000 over the tunnel design.

Opponents derided the “spaghetti loop” nature of the path, and said it, along with the road crossing, was unsafe.

An existing rail trail begins in Salem and heads north along a paved, protected route into Derry. But there is an approximate one-mile gap where the Derry trail ends and the Londonderry rail trail starts again. Portions of the proposed connecting strip of trail happen to cross an existing rail corridor that was deemed historically significant by the state in 2009.

The Manchester and Lawrence Railroad was “an engineering feat in its day—the work of Irish laborers who cut through New Hampshire’s granite hillsides with hand tools and blasting powder,” Judge Paul Barbadoro wrote in his opinion.

Under existing federal regulations, highway projects that disrupt historically significant assets are required to undergo an evaluation to see if any alternatives plans could be implemented to lessen any impact. Barbadoro ruled that because that harm analysis wasn’t performed, construction on an approximate 1 mile stretch of the new road must be paused.

William Cass, New Hampshire’s transportation commissioner, said his office is still reviewing its options. “The Department is disappointed by the order. We are working with the NH Attorney General’s Office to determine our next steps,” he said.

Construction has already begun on other portions of the new exit ramp, and DOT initially said that work on the section of road that would intersect with the rail trail could begin as early as August.

The one-mile stretch of road that’s being constructed as part of the second phase of the project was originally projected to cost $33 million, while the total cost of the new exit ramp and connecting roads are forecasted to top $134 million, portions of which are being paid for by the 2021 bipartisan federal infrastructure law.

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New Hampshire

Drivers And Passengers OK After 3 Vehicles Collide On Clinton Street In Bow

Published

2 hours ago

June 1, 2026

Press Room

Drivers And Passengers OK After 3 Vehicles Collide On Clinton Street In Bow

BOW, NH — Bow police and fire and rescue teams were sent to a crash on Sunday afternoon, not far from a previous crash earlier this month.

At 2:30 p.m., Concord Fire Alarm reported a crash involving multiple vehicles not far from the intersection of Page Road and Clinton Street. About 10 minutes later, a battalion commander told dispatch there were three vehicles involved and two patients were being evaluated. Dispatch asked if EMTs needed a retone for an engine, and the commander said, “Yeah, why don’t you send them.”

News 603 posted a video from the crash scene on Facebook, linked here.

Just before 3 p.m., EMTs cleared the scene after reporting the patients refused transport.

The crash site was not far from a crash on May 1 that sent one driver to Concord Hospital. In July 2024, a fatal motorcycle accident, which took the life of Joseph Kasper of Weare, occured not far from the location of Sunday’s crash.

Not long after, Concord Fire and Rescue teams were sent to a downed tree on Merrimack Street by School Street.

The tree was knocked down after a small storm moved through the region around 2:45 p.m.

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New Hampshire

Photo Exhibit | Art Talk | Crew Competition | Nashua Genealogy Club | More: Week Ahead Events

Published

13 hours ago

May 31, 2026

Press Room

Photo Exhibit | Art Talk | Crew Competition | Nashua Genealogy Club | More: Week Ahead Events

NASHUA, NH — Here is the week ahead roundup.

Get out, New Hampshire.

Event listings are free on one Patch site. You can share your calendar info on other community sites for a modest fee, starting at 25 cents per day. To get started, visit the Events link on the front page of all Patch sites. Statewide calendar roundups are published on most Sundays and Wednesdays. Visit any of the 223 New Hampshire Patch Event sites (patch.com/map/new-hampshire) for updated listings.

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New Hampshire

Let’s Talk Nature: The Value of Conserved Land

Published

23 hours ago

May 31, 2026

Press Room

Let’s Talk Nature: The Value of Conserved Land

Join us for a community conversation exploring how land conservation supports thriving communities, healthy ecosystems, and local economies. Recent research from Maine highlights the growing economic value of conserved lands — from supporting recreation, forestry, agriculture, and tourism to protecting clean water, storing carbon, and strengthening climate resilience. The findings reveal something important: protecting natural landscapes is not only good for the environment, but also for the people and communities that depend on them.

Together, we’ll explore what this research means both regionally and here at home. How do conserved lands shape our quality of life, local economy, and sense of place? How can communities balance growth, conservation, and long-term sustainability? And what role can each of us play in protecting the landscapes that support both nature and people?

At each “Let’s Talk Nature” gathering, we share a short article in advance and come together for an informal, welcoming discussion. Each session stands on its own, and everyone is welcome. No expertise needed. Bring your curiosity and a willingness to listen and share. Drinks and cookies provided.

Read this session’s article: Conserved Land in Maine has Growing Economic Power

Grey Rocks Conservation Center

10:30 AM – 11:30 AM on Wed, 1 Jul 2026