DPW Press Releases

*Update:As of October 29, 2018, there are four spaces left.

Registration for the 2018-2019 Downtown Employee Parking Permit Program is got underway on Monday, October 1st. This permit allows employees who work in Portsmouth’s downtown area to park at the Isles of Shoals Steamship Co. parking lot where 51 spaces will be available from Nov. 1, 2018 to April 30, 2019.  Registrations will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis at the Parking Clerk’s office at 1 Junkins Ave. in Portsmouth City Hall.

The Stark Street Bridge, having been closed since January this year, is currently scheduled to be reopened by the Department of Transportation (DOT) on Monday, October 29th, weather permitting. Following the reopening of this bridge, the DOT will be closing the Woodbury Avenue Bridge that travels over the Route 1 bypass. This plan for Woodbury Avenue is also weather permitting, with the closing and demolition of the bridge (during which the bypass will be closed) currently scheduled for November 10th. 

As part of the Maplewood Avenue reconstruction project, there will be associated sewer work which will require closing Woodbury Avenue from its intersection with Market Street to its intersection with the Route 1 Bypass. This closure is anticipated to begin Wednesday, October 24th and last through Friday, October 26th. The detour route will utilize Market Street, the Albacore Connector, and the Route 1 Bypass (shown below).

On Wednesday, October 17th, paving will occur on Islington Street spanning Dover Street to Maplewood Avenue from roughly 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. This work follows last week’s milling operations and will conclude paving in this area. There will be extensive, alternating lanes of work during this time; detours will be in place and drivers are encouraged to seek alternate routes.

The Foundry Place Garage on Deer Street is scheduled to be open in late October 2018.  Pass holder rates at Foundry Place are just $100 for City of Portsmouth residents, and $125 for non-residents.  For a resident monthly parker considering a move from Hanover to Foundry Place, this represents a savings of $900 annually.

Recently, the Public Works and Community Development Departments installed several new historic markers as part of an ongoing initiative to reproduce historic markers once scattered throughout the downtown and South End. The original markers were installed as part of a project sponsored by Strawbery Banke, the City of Portsmouth, and a civic group then known as the South End Association. At that time, the project (completed in 1977) resulted in the installation of approximately 40 markers covering a variety of topics from the City’s history. 

Beginning Tuesday, October 9th, paving operations will continue throughout the week on Islington Street spanning Dover Street to Maplewood Avenue.

 The schedule of work will go as follows:

The Pleasant Street reconstruction project has scheduled paving operations occurring this week that includes:

• Pleasant Street spanning Court Street to Marcy Street; 
• Junkins Avenue spanning Pleasant Street to Parrott Avenue; and
• Edward Street.

Upon completion of the paving, the contractor will be installing curbing and sidewalk throughout October and the beginning of November.