Press Releases/What’s New

The City of Portsmouth was one of nineteen area organizations that were recognized by CommuteSMART Seacoast for supporting and promoting sustainable commuting for their employees over the previous year. CommuteSMART Seacoast, the regional Transportation Management Association, partners with area employers to help them educate and encourage their employees about commuting options such as taking transit, caropooling, bicycling, walking or teleworking.

Beginning the week of November 12th, crews will begin removing the City’s bicycle corrals, Zagster bike share stations, and most of the white reflective plastic delineators along the Middle Street / Lafayette Road new bicycle lanes to avoid conflicts with snow clearing operations during the winter season. All items will be removed before Thanksgiving.

*Update:As of October 29, 2018, there are four spaces left.

Registration for the 2018-2019 Downtown Employee Parking Permit Program is got underway on Monday, October 1st. This permit allows employees who work in Portsmouth’s downtown area to park at the Isles of Shoals Steamship Co. parking lot where 51 spaces will be available from Nov. 1, 2018 to April 30, 2019.  Registrations will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis at the Parking Clerk’s office at 1 Junkins Ave. in Portsmouth City Hall.

The Stark Street Bridge, having been closed since January this year, is currently scheduled to be reopened by the Department of Transportation (DOT) on Monday, October 29th, weather permitting. Following the reopening of this bridge, the DOT will be closing the Woodbury Avenue Bridge that travels over the Route 1 bypass. This plan for Woodbury Avenue is also weather permitting, with the closing and demolition of the bridge (during which the bypass will be closed) currently scheduled for November 10th. 

As part of the Maplewood Avenue reconstruction project, there will be associated sewer work which will require closing Woodbury Avenue from its intersection with Market Street to its intersection with the Route 1 Bypass. This closure is anticipated to begin Wednesday, October 24th and last through Friday, October 26th. The detour route will utilize Market Street, the Albacore Connector, and the Route 1 Bypass (shown below).

COAST is taking a fresh look at the best way to meet the region's changing transportation needs, and every voice is needed at the table. Public transit design impacts businesses, employers, workers, agencies, educators, students, visitors, and more. COAST is encouraging the public to attend one of seven interactive conversations about the competing service tradeoffs COAST will explore as they work to redesign their services for 2020.

On Wednesday, October 17th, paving will occur on Islington Street spanning Dover Street to Maplewood Avenue from roughly 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. This work follows last week’s milling operations and will conclude paving in this area. There will be extensive, alternating lanes of work during this time; detours will be in place and drivers are encouraged to seek alternate routes.