Construction Impacts

Contract One Sewer Rehabilitation

Construction on the Contract One Sewer Rehabilitation Project began Wednesday, March 18. The Sanitary Sewer System Rehabilitation and Improvements – Contract 1 project is required by the City’s Consent Decree with the United Stated Environmental Protection Agency. The purpose of the project is to remove Inflow and Infiltration (I/I) in the City’s sewer collection system. I/I is when stormwater and groundwater enter the sewer collection system through deterioration in the sewer pipes or manholes. This results in increased sewer flows, more frequent Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) events, and increased sewer costs through pumping and treatment of otherwise clean water. The City accepted funds through the American Rescue Act Plan (ARPA) to assist with costs related to design and construction. The ARPA funding deadline means the project must be completed by April 1, 2026.

  • Middle Street

As part of the Contract 1 Sewer Rehabilitation project, the City is investigating a section of sewer pipe between Richards Avenue and #180. Starting Monday, April 13, traffic will be rerouted while test pits are dug to determine the scope of work

  • Blue Heron Avenue

Contract 1 work is also planned for this area, starting the week of April 13.

Tide Mill Road, Greenland

The sections of Tide Mill Road on either side of Route 33 that were impacted by the work last fall will be paved starting the week of April 13, Greenland Police will direct traffic, as needed, for the work to proceed.

Elwyn Road

Construction continues, with alternating, single-lane traffic from 7 am to 6 pm. Flaggers will be in place to assist. The Department of Public Works hosted an Elwyn Road Reconstruction Project Public Information Meeting in the DPW Training Room (680 Peverly Hill Road in Portsmouth) on Wednesday, March 11, 2026. For meeting presentations, background and more information, visit the project page.

Congress Street

For the week of April 13, 2026:

  • Sewer and drainage installations continue to reduce Congress Street to one lane in the work area. 
  • Fleet Street closures will vary throughout the week when crews are working in the intersection of Fleet Street and Congress Street. Fleet Street will be closed either from Porter to Congress or from Hanover to Congress depending on the sequence of work. Message boards and traffic signs will be deployed in advance to notify motorists. Pedestrians will still be able to access and use sidewalks in the closure area. Businesses remain open and deliveries will be accommodated. Normal traffic circulation will be restored at the end of each workday.

The project work proceeds 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. 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.