Thanks to NHDOT and Keith Cota for New Bike/Ped Path

September 17 2019

CommuteSMART Seacoast and SABR (Seacoast Area Bicycle Riders) would like to thank NHDOT, and particularly Keith Cota, Chief Project Manager, for the new bike and pedestrian lane on the new Spaulding Turnpike bridge.

Throughout 2017 and 2018, Mr. Cota and the NHDOT team sought and listened to community feedback on a multi-year shuttle bus proposed for dealing with the lack of pedestrian and bicycle crossing during the reconstruction of the General Sullivan Bridge.   As a result, they devised plans for a temporary bike/ped lane instead – a much preferred solution for the many hundreds of Seacoast residents who regularly used that bridge for daily transportation and recreational bike rides and walks.

Just weeks after Mr. Cota revealed NHDOT’s plan to provide the temporary lane in 2020-2022, the Department closed the General Sullivan Bridge due to hazards identified in a routine inspection of the structure.  NHDOT could have chosen to do nothing.  Instead, to address the sudden issue caused by the closure of the General Sullivan Bridge, Mr. Cota worked tirelessly with the project team and stakeholders to adjust the construction schedule and accelerate construction of the temporary bike and pedestrian lane.

Ultimately, NHDOT secured the funding for a temporary bike and pedestrian lane and successfully negotiated with the contractor Severino Trucking of Kingston (a big shout out to Tom Severino!) for additional design and construction work.  In the end, NHDOT delivered a user-friendly and safe temporary bike/ped lane that opened in mid-August.

On behalf of Seacoast area residents who need access across Little Bay for work or recreation without relying on a car, we would like to express a deep thank you to NHDOT and their project manager Keith Cota for reconnecting an essential non-motorized transportation route.

Active transportation (bicycling or walking) makes us healthier and improves the health of our communities.  It makes our roads safer by having fewer cars on them and lowers greenhouse gas emissions.