I-93 Reconstruction: Salem to Manchester

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The I-93 Improvements from Salem to Manchester project involves the reconstruction and widening of a 19.8-mile segment of I-93 in southern New Hampshire from the Massachusetts state line in Salem to the I-293 interchange in Manchester. The highway currently provides two lanes in each direction and will be expanded to four travel lanes in each direction. The project also includes interchange reconstruction and reconfiguration, bridge replacements, the addition of three new park-and-ride lots, expanded commuter bus service to Boston, and enhanced Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS). The project has long been designated as the state's number one priority transportation improvement project. According to NHDOT, this project is one of the most ambitious ever undertaken in New Hampshire and is needed to reduce congestion and improve safety. The original section of the highway was built in the early 1960s to accommodate 60,000 to 70,000 vehicles per day. In 1997, average traffic volumes were in excess of 100,000 vehicles per day in Salem, with segments between certain interchanges carrying up to 80,000 vehicles per day. Projections indicate that traffic will increase to 140,000 vehicles per day in Salem by 2020. NHDOT is constructing the project in eight discrete segments and will use a TIFIA loan to advance the construction of remaining elements of the mainline reconstruction.

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