One Last Look at Widening Interstate 93

By Doug MacPherson on Friday, May 21, 2004.

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The final environmental impact statement for widening interstate 93 is finished. That means in a little over 30 days, the Federal Highway Administration is expected to provide the final thumbs up or thumbs down on a project that's been in the planning stages for a dozen years. Before the FHA rules, however, interested parties have what may be their last chance to comment. As New Hampshire Public Radio's Doug MacPherson reports, many of the state's environmental groups continue to voice strong objections.

WHEN THE STATE RELEASED ITS DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT TWO YEARS AGO, MANY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE'S LARGEST ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS ENTERED THEIR COMMENTS JOINTLY. THEY PLAN TO DO SO AGAIN THIS TIME. THE NINE-GROUPS INCLUDE "THE SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION OF NEW HAMPSHIRE FORESTS", "THE APPALACHIAN MOUNTAIN CLUB", "AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE", AND THE CONSERVATION LAW FOUNDATION. C-L-F'S TOM IRWIN SAYS THE GROUPS ARE STILL REVIEWING THE JUST-RELEASED FINAL E-I-S. BUT COLLECTIVELY, THEY CONTINUE TO ARGUE THAT WIDENING I-93 ISN'T A SUSTAINABLE SOLUTION TO THE STATE'S BURGEONING TRAFFIC PROBLEM. IRWIN FEARS THE CREATION OF WHAT HE CALLS AN UN-ENDING CYCLE....

TAPE TOM IRWIN 342 of widening a highway, seeing that increased highway capacity increase traffic demand -- so you get more traffic using the highway, which leads to, in many cases, increased sprawl development -- ultimately can lead to a return of congested conditions.... :18

AND BACK TO THE POINT WHERE THE HIGHWAY MUST BE WIDENED AGAIN. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION COMMISSIONER CAROL MURRAY SAYS IT'S NOT A TOTALLY UNREASONABLE FEAR.

TAPE CAROL MURRAY 235 to some degree i think that is true. I think there is a circle or a sprial there, that you widen, demand meets the extra capacity, then you're back, faced with that dilemna again. That's why we need to start having the conversations of: okay, wait a minute. This is the last asphalt build on 93, whatever the outcome is. :21

MURRAY CONCEDES, HOWEVER, NOTHING IN THE FINAL E-I-S GUARANTEES THAT I-93 WON'T SOMEDAY BE WIDENED STILL FURTHER.
C-L-F'S IRWIN SAYS WHAT'S NEEDED AS PART OF THE PLAN TO EXPAND
I-93 -- IS A MORE CREATIVE MIX OF TRANSPORTATION ALTERNATIVES.

TAPE TOM IRWIN 652 what we are asking for is a commitment to rail up front. :04

D-O-T SAYS IT'S NOT SO EASY. SOME NEIGHBORHOODS ARE OPPOSED TO TRAINS RESUMING THE RAILS THAT RUN THROUGH THEIR BACKYARDS. GETTING COMMUTERS TO A TRAIN STATION DOESN'T END THEIR COMMUTE. AND THEN, TOO, THERE'S THE PERENNIAL NEW HAMPSHIRE ISSUE: HOW WOULD THE STATE PAY FOR RAIL. THE STATE SUPREME COURT RECENTLY RULED THAT UNDER STATE LAW, PROCEEDS FROM THE STATE'S GAS TAX CANNOT BE USED TO FUND RAILROADS.
D-O-T'S CAROL MURRAY SAYS, AS COMMISSIONERS BEFORE HER HAVE SAID, THAT SOMEDAY RAIL HAS TO BE A PART OF NEW HAMPSHIRE'S TRANSPORTATION MIX. MURRAY SAYS THE SUPREME COURT'S RULING MADE THE FUNDING ISSUE BLACK AND WHITE.

TAPE CAROL MURRAY 1121 now it's time to go back to the policymakers and say, look, if we're going to return passenger rail to this state, we've got to provide the match. :10

MURRAY IS REFERRING TO THE STATE'S MATCH OF FEDERAL TRANSPORTATION FUNDS. WIDENING I-93, FOR EXAMPLE, IS PROJECTED TO COST 420-MILLION DOLLARS. THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WOULD PAY 80-PERCENT -- IF THE STATE PROVIDES 20-PERCENT.

THE ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS SAY THE TIME FOR THE STATE TO COMMIT TO RAILWAYS IS NOW. MURRAY SAYS EVEN WITH RAIL, I-93 WOULD STILL NEED TO BE WIDENED.
ONE ISSUE THAT ONLY RECENTLY EMERGED AS A POTENTIAL PROBLEM FOR THE PROJECT IS THE SALT NEEDED FOR WINTER MAINTENANCE OF THE NEW TRAFFIC LANES - 160-ADDITIONAL TONS OF SALT. OFFICIALS LEARNED RECENTLY THAT STREAMS ADJACENT TO I-93 ARE ALREADY IN VIOLATION OF FEDERAL CHLORIDE STANDARDS. IRWIN SAYS THE PUBLIC NEEDS MORE INFORMATION.

TAPE TOM IRWIN 1746 this is a significant issue, and it was discovered after the draft environmental impact statement was published, and after public comment. :08

AS PART OF THE FINAL E-I-S, D-O-T PROPOSES TO TRY SEVERAL TECHNIQUES TO REDUCE THE CURRENT AMOUNT OF SALT LOADING.
N-H-P-R HAS LEARNED THAT GOVERNOR CRAIG BENSON RECENTLY CALLED U-S E-P-A ADMINISTRATOR MICHAEL LEAVITT TO SAY HE HOPES THE SALT ISSUE WON'T HOLD UP THE PROJECT. A SPOKESMAN SAYS THE GOVERNOR'S GOAL IS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE WIDENING OF I93 GOES FORWARD AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. E-P-A OFFICIALS SAY THEY ARE STILL REVIEWING THE FINAL E-I-S, AND AREN'T READY TO COMMENT.
STATE ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS ALSO QUESTION THE MITIGATION PLANS FOR SO-CALLED "SECONDARILY" IMPACTED COMMUNITIES. THOSE INCLUDE MORE THAN TWO-DOZEN TOWNS LYING CLOSE TO I-93, BUT OUTSIDE THE HIGHWAY'S CORRIDOR. C-L-F'S IRWIN NOTES THAT STUDIES SHOW THOSE TOWNS CAN EXPECT TENS OF THOUSANDS OF NEW RESIDENTS AS A RESULT OF WIDENING I-93. IS SOUTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE PREPARED TO HANDLE THE ADDITIONAL GROWTH?

TAPE TOM IRWIN 1334 well that's the big question. I think most people would say that it's not. :04

COMMISSIONER MURRAY AGREES THAT SOUTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE MAY NOT BE PREPARED FOR THE GROWTH IT WILL EXPERIENCE OVER THE NEXT TWO DECADES.

TAPE CAROL MURRAY That's why we put 3.5 million dollars into the i93 mitigation package saying, we'll develop some tools. We will work with the regional planning agencies, with the communities, develop some tools that can be used in the corridor that can be used, basically across the state, for those volunteer folks. :17

THE IDEA IS TO HELP VOLUNTEERS ON LOCAL PLANNING BOARDS GET READY FOR NEW GROWTH. ONE OF THOSE VOLUNTEERS IS MAUREEN LEIN ("LINE"), WHO SITS ON THE PLANNING BOARD IN THE TOWN OF CHESTER.

TAPE MAUREEN LEIN we're not going to be able to survive the kind of growth this project would bring to the town. :04

LEIN SAYS THE MONEY FOR PLANNING MURRAY PROPOSES WOULD BE HELPFUL. SHE ALSO CALLS IT A DROP IN THE BUCKET. LEIN SAYS PEOPLE IN CHESTER AND SURROUNDING TOWNS RECOGNIZE THAT GROWTH IS INEVITABLE.

TAPE MAUREEN LEIN. We also recognize that we need to be able to plan for the growth, and protect what needs to be protected. In order to have what we need for our citizens in the future. Which is parks, playgrounds, sports facilities, schools, fire, police, etc. so we have to do it in measured fashion. We can't just do it at the rate that will be likely based on the I 93 expansion. :25

LEIN ADDS, HOWEVER, THAT SHE HATES DRIVING I-93, AND AVOIDS IT WHENEVER SHE CAN.
AND IN THE END, THAT MAY BE D-O-T'S STRONGEST ARGUMENT IN FAVOR OF THE PROJECT AS PRESENTED IN THE FINAL E-I-S. I 93 IS ONE OF THE MOST CONGESTED ROADS IN THE STATE. ACCORDING TO D-O-T SURVEYS, IT IS NOT AMONG THE MOST DANGEROUS IN TERMS OF CRASHES. BUT CAROL MURRAY PREDICTS THE CRASH RATE WILL CLIMB.

TAPE CAROL MURRAY My biggest fear is a chain reaction accident -- and we've seen them in other states -- in fog or dim light, sunlight, where we have injuries, or heaven forbid, multiple fatalities. :16

MURRAY SAYS TODAY, A DRIVER BEHIND A CAR THAT STOPS SHORT ON 93 HAS NO PLACE TO GO.

THE 30-DAY COMMENT PERIOD ON THE FINAL E-I-S IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN NEXT WEEK. THE DOCUMENT ITSELF IS ENORMOUS. THE NEW HAMPSHIRE LAKES ASSOCIATION, AND THE TOWN OF LONDONDERRY, HAVE ASKED THE FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION FOR MORE TIME TO REVIEW THE DOCUMENT. FOR N-H-P-R NEWS, I'M DOUG MACPHERSON.