HB 1262-FN - AS INTRODUCED

2024 SESSION

24-2003

11/10

HOUSE BILL 1262-FN

AN ACT relative to the installation of a traffic signal at the intersection of Route 111 and Ermer Road in Salem.

SPONSORS: Rep. Sweeney, Rock. 25; Rep. Janigian, Rock. 25; Rep. McDonnell, Rock. 25; Rep. D. Mannion, Rock. 25; Rep. Ball, Rock. 25; Rep. Doucette, Rock. 25; Rep. Donnelly, Rock. 25

COMMITTEE: Public Works and Highways

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ANALYSIS

This bill requires the department of transportation to install a traffic signal in the town of Salem.

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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

24-2003

11/10

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Four

AN ACT relative to the installation of a traffic signal at the intersection of Route 111 and Ermer Road in Salem.

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

1  Department of Transportation; Salem.  The department of transportation shall install a traffic signal at the intersection of Route 111 and Ermer Road in the town of Salem.

2  Effective Date.  This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.

LBA

24-2003

11/6/23

HB 1262-FN- FISCAL NOTE

AS INTRODUCED

AN ACT relative to the installation of a traffic light system at the intersection of Route 111 and Ermer Road in Salem.

FISCAL IMPACT:      [ X ] State              [    ] County               [    ] Local              [    ] None

METHODOLOGY:

This bill requires the Department of Transportation to install a traffic signal at the intersection of NH Route 111 and Ermer Road in the town of Salem. The Department has provided the following information and assumptions relative to this bill:

• Currently, the Department is administering a Local Public Agency (LPA) project led by the Town of Salem using Federal funds through the Highway Improvement Safety Program (HSIP) to examine this intersection, develop and evaluate alternatives, and then design and construct the selected alternative.  As required for use of Federal funds, the selection of approach must be a data-driven review of a range of alternatives, calculation of potential benefit in reduced injuries/fatalities versus implementation costs, and comparison of the resultant benefit/cost ratios. This evaluation of alternatives is currently underway by the Town’s consultant and preliminary data from that evaluation is the basis for this fiscal note.
• One of the alternatives being studied by the LPA project is to signalize the intersection, and a concept level design has been performed by the Town’s consultant in order to develop an estimated cost of implementation. This estimated cost will be used to compare this alternative (traffic signal) with other improvement alternatives in the study. The concept design includes providing two through lanes and a dedicated left turn lane on each approach on NH 111 to provide sufficient capacity for existing and projected traffic volumes. This estimate prepared by others assumes the signalization is a standalone project and includes estimated costs for design engineering, right-of-way (ROW) acquisition, construction, and construction phase engineering.
• It is assumed that the requirement that the act takes effect 60 days after passage does not mean installation physically begins within 60 days. Instead, it is assumed that efforts to begin the process of implementation will begin. Even under an expedited approach, selection and securing an engineering consultant will take at least nine (9) months, engineering and ROW acquisition will take one (1) year (assumed FY 2025), and construction will be at least 18 months, spanning two (2) construction seasons (assumed FY 2026 start). Note that traffic signal equipment including mast arms can require at least six (6) months lead time from order to delivery.
• This bill provides no funding source.

The Department has provided the following, based on costs estimated by consultant during evaluation of alternatives for safety improvements at NH Route 111 and Ermer Road in Salem, specifically the alternative for providing a signalized intersection:

Estimated Construction Costs

Earthwork $71,500

Pavement (including aggregate base and markings) $480,940

Guardrail $38,500

Signal Equipment and Signs $220,000

Erosion Control and Landscaping $92,800

Construction Traffic Control $206,800

Subtotal $1,196,940

Miscellaneous Items (15%) $179,514

Total Estimated Construction Cost (rounded) $1,616,000

Preliminary Engineering $280,000

Right-of-Way $5,000

Project Total $2,041,000

The Department states that highway improvement projects of this magnitude are typically funded using Federal funds through Federal Highway Administration or with Turnpike Capital Improvement funds (this is not a Turnpike location). As a legislatively mandated project without identified funding, project costs would need to be absorbed by the Department operating funds and funds dedicated to Betterment. In this case, Bureau of Traffic (the likely lead bureau) has a FY 2025 budget of $10,000 for consultant services. So, to fund the consultant fees for this project (almost 3% of the bureau’s annual budget) would require a significant transfer from other classes of the operating budget and reduced capability to accomplish core functions. Similarly, funding the construction using Betterment funds will be a significant impact to work already programmed for Betterment funds. For instance, the project construction costs of $1.6M exceeds the budget for any of the allotments of Betterment funds for district or department-wide projects. Funding this project will displace other highway improvements already programmed.

AGENCIES CONTACTED:

Department of Transportation