Pavement Management

Project Overview

(CIP TSM-94-PW-78 pg. 151-52) The Pavement Condition Management Program started in 1993. The review is conducted by Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc. (VHB), surveying 25% of Portsmouth’s total 104.2-mile, City-maintained road network each year. In 2018, VHB performed a detailed inspection of the condition of the pavement on all the City maintained roads and created a database of information which can be viewed, edited and analyzed using VHB’s RoadManager™ software. The data is linked to the City’s Geographic Information System (GIS), so that thematic maps can be created to display any of the information in the database.

An annual report updating the city’s pavement management system is completed as part of this program. City road conditions are evaluated, the road network conditions and budget requirements are analyzed, and road-paving programs are developed. The report provides recommended funding to maintain street conditions at current levels. These are capital costs. They are implemented over a two-year period with an expected life of 20 years. The Public Works operational budget includes maintenance costs with an expected life of 10 years

Project Team

City Staff: Dave Desfosses, Project Manager, (603) 766-1411, djdesfosses@portsmouthnh.gov

Project Map

Project Updates

Middle Street Paving Week of 7-27-26

Drainage pipe work in the block between Austin and Summer Streets.

Traffic will be down to one lane
Outbound traffic from Downtown will be detoured down State Street

Middle Street Paving

Middle Street

Milling on Middle Street has begun. Additional cleanup milling will occur on Monday, July 20. Road curbing will start on Wednesday, July 22.

Middle Street Paving and Lincoln Avenue Area Resurfacing

Middle Street

Milling on Middle Street is expected to start Thursday, July 16 and continue into Friday, July 17.

Additional cleanup milling will occur on Monday, July 20.

Lincoln Street Area Micro-sealing

Resurfacing work started - A parking ban will be in effect for the micro-surfacing treatment, starting at 7 am on Monday, July 13 and Tuesday, July 14 for:

Lincoln Avenue
Parrott Avenue
Richards Avenue
Rockland Street
Sherburne Avenue
Elwyn Avenue
McNabb Court

Middle Street Paving and Lincoln Avenue Area Resurfacing

Middle Street

Pavement milling is anticipated to begin on Middle Street on Monday, July 13 and will take several days to complete. Paving is expected to begin the week of July 20.

Middle Street will be reduced to a single lane with alternating traffic. Flaggers will be on site to direct vehicles through the work area, expect delays.

Lincoln Street Area Microsealing

Resurfacing work rescheduled- Weather permitting, a parking ban will be in effect for the micro-surfacing treatment, starting at 7 am on Monday, July 13 and Tuesday, July 14 for:

Lincoln Avenue
Parrott Avenue
Richards Avenue
Rockland Street
Sherburne Avenue
Elwyn Avenue
McNabb Court

Congress & State Street Paving June 8 - 10

Paving anticipated for June 8-10.

State Street from Middle Street to Memorial Bridge
Pleasant Street from Porter Street to State Street
Daniel Street from Memorial Bridge to Chapel Street

Pavement milling on sections of State Street, Pleasant Street and Daniel Street

Prep work, including the tip-down accessibility ramps, anticipated for the week of May 25. State Street, Pleasant Street, Daniel Street — Pavement milling on Thurs May 28 and Fri May 29. The DPW crew hopes to do the work in the vicinity of Memorial Bridge starting early — 5:30 am. The following areas will be affected by parking bans:

State Street from Middle Street to Memorial Bridge
Pleasant Street from Porter Street to State Street
Daniel Street from Memorial Bridge to Chapel Street

These streets are then scheduled to be paved the week of June 1.

Resurfacing

[This project has been rescheduled to July]

Resurfacing - Weather permitting prep work including patching, as needed, will take place on Thurs May 28 and Fri May 29 on the streets listed below. Crack sealing is scheduled for Wed June 3, which may affect on-street parking. Then a parking ban will be in effect for the micro-surfacing treatment, starting at 7 am on Thurs June 11 and Friday June 12:

Lincoln Avenue
Richards Avenue
Parrott Avenue
Rockland Street
Sherburne Avenue
Elwyn Avenue
McNabb Court

Downtown Sidewalk Work

Downtown Sidewalk Repair is continuing. Crews are working on the tip-down ramps that facilitate access in Market Square and on State and Pleasant Streets. Pedestrians are being redirected to the next crosswalk.

2025 Roads

Crack sealing and micro-surfacing in the South End paving, August 13 & 14, 2025:

Robin Lane
Pleasant Point Drive
Driftwood Lane
Boylan Place
Moebus Terrace
Ball Street
Fernald Court
Ridges Court
Humphrey’s Court
South School Street
Hancock Street
Gates Street

August 11-15, 2025:

Deer St from Russell to Market
Deer St from Bridge to Maplewood
Portsmouth Indoor Pool Walkway
Gosling Road Pump Station
Peirce Island Road and Pool Parking Area
Church St
Kane and Alder Streets
Pinehurst and Lookout Lane

Paving Projects Completed

Top Banfield Road
Top Little Harbor Road
Dearborn Street final paving
Upper Court Street from Middle to Pleasant Streets
Pannaway Manor
Maplehaven Speed Tables
Mirona Road
Binder on Boyd Road
Elwyn Park phase 2 (Coolidge, Taft, Grant, Taft, Garfield from Hoover to McKinley and Nixon Park)
Top Bridge Street Parking Lot
Worth Parking Lot overlay
Middle Street & Middle Road intersection
Market Street from Bow Street to Market Square
Pease Tradeport: Corporate Drive
Middle Road from Urban compact to Peverly Hill Road
Dodge, Harvard, Princeton and Greenland Road Neighborhood
Greenland Road
South Street from Middle Road to Haven
Newcastle Avenue, Marcy Street area from South Street, east
Banfield Road
Dennett Street
International Drive
Corporate Drive
Bridge Street Parking Lot
Lang Road
New Hampshire Avenue (from International Drive to Pease Boulevard)
Maplewood Avenue (from Dennett to the railroad tracks)
Kearsarge Way and various spots in Atlantic Heights
Gosling Road
South Street
Greenland Road
Bow Street
Corporate Drive
International Drive

Project Documents

This section includes the City of Portsmouth’s Pavement Management 2020 Update, which documents roadway condition assessments, analyzes maintenance needs, and evaluates funding scenarios to support planning for street maintenance and paving programs.

General

Pavement Management 2020 Update, Portsmouth, NH Dec 1, 2020

Project FAQ

What is the City’s Pavement Management Program?

The Pavement Management Program is the City’s system for evaluating road conditions and planning roadway maintenance and paving projects. As part of the program, the City analyzes roadway conditions, evaluates budget requirements, and develops paving programs to maintain street conditions over time.

How does the City evaluate road conditions?

The City uses a pavement management system that includes inspections of road conditions and a database of roadway information. In 2018, a detailed inspection of all City-maintained roads was completed and entered into pavement management software that can be analyzed and mapped through the City’s Geographic Information System (GIS).

The pavement management system is updated through an annual report that reviews road conditions, analyzes the roadway network, and recommends paving and maintenance work for future years.

What types of roadway work are included in the program?

The program helps plan different types of roadway maintenance and paving work, including resurfacing and preventive maintenance activities such as crack sealing, which helps keep water out of the pavement and extend the life of road surfaces.

Why does the City use a pavement management system?

The pavement management system helps the City prioritize roadway maintenance and determine the funding needed to maintain street conditions. It allows staff to evaluate road conditions across the network and plan projects that preserve streets that are in good condition while addressing roads that need repair.