Construction Impacts

Congress Street

For the week of May 11, 2026:

Drain work inside intersection of Fleet and Congress Streets
Water service work possible
Congress Street reduced to one lane
Fleet Street closures throughout the week..

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 2026 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.

State Street

Prep work and paving, including the tip-down accessibility ramps, anticipated for the week of May 18.

Deer Street

Starting Wednesday, May 6, a work crew will begin prepping Deer Street for repaving. The paving project will continue through Tuesday, May 19 as the road is reclaimed, graded and paved with the binder layer.

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.

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 -- Saw cut work begins on Tuesday, April 21.
Ceres Street -- conduit lining work will be done before Memorial Day

Tide Mill Road, Greenland

The sections of Tide Mill Road on either side of Route 33 that were impacted by the work last fall are being paved on Wednesday, May 6 and Thursday, May 7. Greenland Police are directing traffic, as needed, for the work to proceed.

Elwyn Road

Construction continues, with alternating, single-lane traffic from 7 am to 6 pm. Water service work to individual properties begins Wednesday, May 6. Onsite personnel will notify residents in person by knocking on doors. Brief water service outages are expected. 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.

Elwyn Park

Intersection safety improvements at the corner of Garfield Road and McKinley Road require the removal of select trees within the public right-of-way. The City has received approval from the Tree’s and Greenery Committee to remove select trees to allow for the improvements. Wetland permitting required for the work is currently in process. Basement inspections required for underground utility design have concluded. Public comments regarding proposed traffic improvements on Van Buren are currently being evaluated

Congress Street

For the week of May 4, 2026:

· Water main installations on Congress Street heading towards Fleet Street. Congress Street will be reduced to one lane on Monday and Tuesday.
· Congress Street will be closed between Fleet Street and Maplewood Avenue Wednesday May 6 through Friday May 8 during regular working hours. Fleet Street will be used as a detour route.

NH-DOT

Soundwall & Bike Path

NH DOT advises that on Wednesday, May 13 they will be hydroseeding the Ashland Road-Rockingham Avenue area near Pease and will CLOSE the bike path between 9 am and 12 noon that day to do the work.

Median Barrier & Guardrail Installation on I-95

The New Hampshire Department of Transportation (NHDOT) started day and night work on April 19 to install a median barrier and guardrail on I-95 northbound and southbound between Mile Marker (MM) 8.0 in North Hampton and MM 13.2 in Portsmouth. This work is expected to continue through September 2026. Single lane closures and shoulder closures are being implemented for nightwork on northbound I-95 to facilitate this work. Southbound work will follow once the northbound is complete. Road users are also encouraged to sign up for free, real-time construction and traffic related messages.