Construction Impacts

Projects of Note

Development-related Work

The 2 Russell Street project continues drainage installation at the Deer and Maplewood intersection. Flaggers are in place. No road closure necessary.

Campus Drive Athletic Fields

Quirk began construction of the new field on October 9. Work continues to spring.

Congress Street

Utility replacement on Congress Street is scheduled to begin sometime on or after January 5, 2026 and is expected to extend to early June. Work includes the full replacement of sewer collection, water distribution, and stormwater infrastructure from Maplewood Avenue to a point approximately 100’ beyond (East) of the Fleet Street intersection. The first portion of work on Congress Street is expected to start at Vaughan Mall and proceed towards Maplewood Avenue with the sewer and drainage installations before moving on to begin work between Vaughan Mall and Fleet Street. This portion of work will also include the restoration of Congress Street in the fall of ’26 beginning after Labor Day.

Like the Vaughan Mall project, the work can be disruptive to pedestrians and traffic. Similar barricades will be used as required to aid pedestrians in the vicinity of the work zones as were used during work in the Vaughan Mall work to maintain access to businesses. Crews will maintain at least one lane of vehicular traffic and safe sidewalk passage; however, some work days will require the temporary closure of Congress Street and/or the Fleet Street intersection during working hours in which case detour routes will be established.

The City is proceeding with this work starting this winter in an effort to limit impacts to businesses. It is expected that the major utility work and most significant impacts to businesses will be completed over the winter leaving temporary roadway and sidewalk reconstruction for the spring. Work is scheduled to take place daily, Monday through Friday but there may be brief interruptions if conditions become too severe for crews to work effectively.

A pre-construction public information meeting for the project was held on December 9, 2025. For more information, visit the meeting presentation, the video recording of the meeting and the project page.

Vaughan Mall Reconstruction

This phase of the project is now complete. For the meeting presentations and video recordings, more information and to sign up for future email updates, visit the project page.

Hanover Garage

The Hanover Garage is in year two of a three-year renovation. Questions? Contact the Parking Office at 603-610-7257. Go to the Hanover Garage Project page for more information.

DPW Facilities Improvements

The construction crew continues work on the expanded facilities behind the building at 680 Peverly Hill Road. Work will continue 7 days a week (including Saturday and Sunday), 7 am to 6 pm, through November to complete the work before the end of the construction season. The work does not affect access to the Recycling Center. For more information, go to the project page.

NHDOT I-95 Southbound Night Work

NHDOT is continuing night work behind the barrier within the Part Time Shoulder Use (PTSU) Lane, between 7 am and 7 pm, to place sound barriers on I-95 Southbound. The work continues through Friday, January 30, 2026 along the Southbound right shoulder starting at the Exit 7 off ramp (MM 15.6) to the Exit 5 off ramp (MM 14.0). The existing shoulder is reduced from 13 feet to 2 feet. This work requires the use of lane closures; the right lane and shoulder of Southbound I-95 will be closed nightly from MM 15.6 to MM 14.0. Message boards, uniformed officers, traffic control devices, and smart work zone devices will be used to notify the travelling public. This work is part of the construction of two sound abatement walls and privacy fence along I-95 in Portsmouth. Northeast Earth Mechanics, Inc. of Pittsfield, New Hampshire is the general contractor for the $18.7 million NHDOT project.