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Some Facts About New Hampshire’s Infrastructure:New Hampshire has approximately 17,000 miles of state and town roads, turnpikes and interstate highways. There are 3,795 bridges in the state. As of 2010, the New Hampshire Department of Transportation plowed more than 800 lane miles of roads and put down 180,000 tons of salt for snow and ice control annually.The state was given a “C” grade by the American Society of Civil Engineers for the condition of its roads and bridges. New Hampshire was rated among the worst in the country for the poor condition of its bridges by Transportation For America. On average, bridges are older in New Hampshire than those in the rest of the country. There are hundreds of bridges on the so-called “red list,” which means that the bridges have major structural problems and need to be repaired or replaced.The state also has a poor record when it comes to public transportation. New Hampshire has no comprehensive rail system and is rated 42nd in terms of investment in public transportation according to the State Department of Transportation.The majority of New Hampshire’s infrastructure funding comes from vehicle registration fees and gas taxes. The state takes out fewer bond loans than other states and considers its funding a “pay as you go” system. The gas tax, the lowest in New England, has not been raised since 1991. The 2011 Legislature did away with a motor vehicle fee increase. That change has meant more $30 million a year in cuts to DOT.The $800 million expansion of I-93 from Salem to Manchester began in 2006, but has been delayed several times because of a lack of funding. Supporters of the expansion say it will update one of the country’s most congested highways and bring needed tourism revenue to the more isolated and less economically robust northern part of the state. Traffic on I-93 has increased 600 percent since the highway was built in the 1960s and approximately 80,000 cars now drive on it each day.Summary provided by StateImpact NH

House Committee Rejects Bill To Remove Merrimack Toll Booth

NHPR / Michael Brindley

A House committee has voted unanimously to reject the latest effort to remove at least one of the toll booths along the F.E. Everett Turnpike exit ramps in Merrimack.

The 15-0 vote came during a Public Works and Highways committee meeting on Wednesday.

Former Senate President Peter Bragdon sponsored the bill, which would have removed the ramp tolls at Exit 12.

But committee members say the issue should instead be discussed as part of the state’s 10-year highway improvement plan.

The committee’s recommendation will go before the full House during its session next year.

The town has had toll booths at all three of its exits for nearly 25 years.

The state installed them to pay off the bond used to build new exits giving the town greater access to the highway.

Merrimack officials and those representing the town in Concord have long argued for removing the tolls, but those efforts have failed.

State transportation officials say closing the Exit 12 ramp tolls would mean a roughly $500,000 drop in revenue.

Michael serves as NHPR's Program Director. Michael came to NHPR in 2012, working as the station's newscast producer/reporter. In 2015, he took on the role of Morning Edition producer. Michael worked for eight years at The Telegraph of Nashua, covering education and working as the metro editor.
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