March 12 2020 Public Information Meeting on Middle Street / Lafayette Road Bicycle Lanes

The City of Portsmouth Planning and Public Works Departments will host a public information meeting to discuss the bicycle lanes created in Fall 2018 along Middle Street and Lafayette Road (Route 1). The meeting is scheduled for Thursday, March 12th at 7pm in Council Chambers in City Hall. The purpose of the meeting is to provide an opportunity for members of the public to share comments, concerns, and suggestions for improvement to the pilot project. The City Council has scheduled a work session on Monday, March 23rd to discuss potential modifications to the design for consideration and further discussion. 

The bike lanes, which were designed and constructed with funding from a Federal Safe Routes to School Grant, extend from Portsmouth High School to the downtown and are intended to create a safer and more convenient path for those traveling by bicycle to the schools, the library and other locations in the core of the city. 

The City’s Safe Routes to School Action Plan (2010) and Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan (2014) both identified a need for safer passage for pedestrians and bicyclists along Route 1. Starting in 2014, design concepts for this project were developed and considered after a number of public input sessions. Since the installation of the bike lanes in 2018, City staff have been gathering data to inform future plans including collecting bicycle counts, monitoring motor vehicle speeds, reviewing crash reports, and receiving input from travelers and residents along the corridor. A few modifications were implemented in response to some of the initial input received. However, the upcoming public information meeting and City Council work session will look for ways to further improve the project. 

For more information about this project and the upcoming meetings, please visit the project web page or contact the Planning Department at (603) 610-7216.