TRANSPORTATION

Transportation services provided by the LRPC are primarily funded through contracts with the NH Department of Transportation (NHDOT). DOT funding is derived from federal and state sources. LRPC's Transportation Program has four main components (click on these links to go directly to that component):

Public Notice - Ten Year Plan

November 13, 2024
The Lakes Region Planning Commission’s Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC) recently completed review of the submitted Ten Year Plan projects. In that process, members of the TAC evaluated the submitted Plymouth project scope against the criteria suggested by the State DOT and adopted by the TAC, and included weighting by regional importance. This process is referred to as “Initial Ranking” in the DOT’s Ten Year Plan (TYP) process.
 
The next steps in the process are for the submitted project proposal, along with the weighted criteria scores, to be submitted to NHDOT for their review. This includes vetting of project scope and verification of cost estimates across all projects submitted throughout the state. During this process from November – February, the NHDOT will develop their own rankings, comment on each project, and draft the 2027-2036 New Hampshire Ten-Year Plan. After the draft is issued, the Governor’s Advisory Commission on Intermodal Transportation (GACIT), which is made up of the five Executive Councilors and the Commissioner of the New Hampshire Department of Transportation (NHDOT), will hold a number of public hearings to solicit public input on the projects and priorities submitted to the TYP.
 

 

Data Collection / Analysis

Traffic Counts

  • NHDOT maintains a Traffic Data Management System which is a web-based interactive map that allows users to customize searches and directly view and download traffic count data on their website here.
  • LRPC performs from 150-200 traffic counts a year, using a schedule developed by the DOT. LRPC can do additional counts and update road inventories for members by request. LRPC is also available to conduct turning movement counts and speed counts on paved roads.

Land Use

  • Land use and transportation are closely related; a change in one aspect could influence the other. LRPC has conducted transportation studies in order to understand the current land use/transportation relationship along vital stretches of the Lakes Region highways. These efforts help support decision making by providing a detailed understanding of how land use effects transportation and vise versa, now and in the future.

Culvert/Stream Assessment Program ​

  • Stream Assessment is a useful tool in sharing asset condition and location for coordinating local projects. Data collection includes: culvert and headwall materials, size, and condition, sediment build-up, scouring and other attributes. 
  • NH Aquatic Restoration Mapper - This is a tool that has been developed for the review of Road and Stream Crossings and can be particularly useful for prioritizing mitigation and prioritization efforts. It identifies some intersections between natural resources and transportation. 
  • Resource: Culverts & Closed Drainage Systems (CCDS) slide presentation. This information was presented to the full commission at its meeting on November 25, 2024 and provides detailed information on LRPC's CCDS program. For additional information, please visit the Commissioner Meetings page.

Road Surface Management System (RSMS)

  • A comprehensive review of road network surface condition. Useful in programming improvements and to model funding impacts on pavement condition index (PCI) over time. A perfect complement for your community’s Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP) or Capital Improvements Program (CIP).

Policy and Plan Development

Transportation Technical Advisory Committee (TAC)

Special Planning and Research Projects

Scenic Byways

Plan Implementation

LRPC Regional Transportation Plan

TIP – Transportation Improvement Program

TYP – State Ten Year Plan

​On-Call Engineering Services

  • Request for Qualifications (June 2022)
  • Results: Companies (anonymized A through E; BETA Group, CMA Engineers, DuBois & King, HEB Engineers, KVPartners) were reviewed by two staff members from LRPC and a subcommittee of TAC (anonymized 1 through 5) based on Table 2: Selection Criteria described in the Request for Qualifications. The totals are tabulated below. Company A has been chosen to move forward with contract negotiations.  
  A B C D E
1 97 91 88 79 94
2 94 93 83 77 91
3 100 85 98 93 100
4 87 90 79 80 93
5 85 62 80 62 65
Total 463 421 428 391 443
 

Local Assistance

USDOT Grants and Technical Assistance Navigator Tool

The US Department of Transportation (USDOT) has launched the DOT Navigator, a new online resource designed to help communities identify federal grant and technical assistance opportunities. The DOT Navigator tool includes: 

Several transportation grant programs are currently open relating to safety, tribal transit, ferry service, and more.

Aviation Assistance

Transportation Study Support

Road Surface Management Systems (RSMS)

Public Transportation

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Transportation Advisory Committee

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Next Meeting:
March 5, 2025 (2:00 - 4:00 PM)
LRPC, 1st Floor Conference Room
 
Email: gtrefethen@lakesrpc.nh.gov for more information.

Newsletters

Grant Programs

Competitive Grant Programs
The Federal Highway Administration (FHA) and US Department of Transportation (USDOT) have a variety of competitive grant programs and funding opportunities used to fund various types of transportation projects and activities. These programs can be paired with potential applicants for matching funds. It provides billions in new Federal investment in infrastructure, including roads, bridges and mass transit, water infrastructure, resilience, and broadband. Use these links for more information on Competitive Grant Programs and Funding Opportunities. The FHA and USDOT will continue to add additional programs/information over the weeks, months, and years to come.

FY 2023 Highway Block Grant Aid
By Law, all municipalities in the State having Class IV and V mileage are entitled to Highway Block Grant Aid. Highway Block Grant Aid is distributed to municipalities by the State of New Hampshire on a yearly basis with partial disbursements made four times a year. The funds can only be used for construction, reconstruction, and maintenance of each municipality’s Class IV and V highways.
Block Grant Aid
Description

Transportation Alternatives Program Applications

Ten Year Plan (TYP) Projects

2023-2032 Proposed Ten Year Plan Projects
Plymouth NH 25 (roundabout)
Meredith NH 25 (four intersections)
 
2021-2030 Ten Year Plan
Projects Proposed (Jan 2020)
 
Regional and State Plans
Regional Transportation Plan (2015-2020)
Statewide Freight Plan w/Appendices (Jan 2019)
 
Resources

Regional Transportation Planning Overview (LRPC)
Citizen's Guide to the Transportation System (NHDOT)

NH SADES

University of New Hampshire's Statewide Asset Data Exchange System (SADES) provides a common set of collection and training standards. This ensures that data collected throughout the state is comparable and assessed uniformly.

Local Technical Assistance Program for Transportation

Cost Sharing Discount for Member Communities (contact us for details).

  • Road Surface Management Systems
  • Culvert Inventories
  • Traffic Counts (volume, speed, class)
  • Intersection Turning Movement Counts
  • Trail User Counts
  • Bike/Ped Stress Mapping
  • Master Plan, Transportation Chapter

Key Destination Maps

Alexandria
Ashland
Barnstead
Bristol
Danbury
Effingham
Franklin
Freedom
Gilford
Gilmanton
Hebron
Holderness
Moultonborough
Northfield
Sanbornton
Tamworth
Tilton
Wolfeboro

Bike-Walk Alliance of NH

View Resource Guide for increasing transportation options.

Travel and Tourism

Lakes Region Travel and Tourism
Livability Profile 2015