Plans to expand Interstate 93 through Concord would further divide the city racially, physically and socioeconomically, resident Meredith Cooley told City Councilors Monday night.
Cooley, like others before her, said she supported a deck park or pedestrian bridge connecting residents on both sides of the city no matter what happens to the highway plans.
“A deck park, a pedestrian river bridge or an improvement opportunity of similar capacity serves to bridge the divide exacerbated by the highway by providing connection for all Concord residents, including those who can’t afford, or don’t have access to, transportation,” Cooley said. “It would serve as a symbol that our community stands as one and serves as a sense of pride.”
Cooley’s concerns were echoed by many residents in the crowd Monday night, who called for reducing the highway expansion as much as possible.
Members of the public were able to ask questions and give feedback on the latest I-93 highway expansion project, which has been discussed in one form or another by state and city officials for years.
The goal of the expansion is to widen areas where traffic is often congested, make the highway more accessible to travelers and residents, connect portions of the roadway to the Merrimack River Greenway Trail and improve safety by updating bridge structures, and simplifying interchanges.
On average, about 80,000 vehicles travel daily between Exits 12 and 15 – a three-mile stretch – whether commuting, passing through or using the highway to cut across the river to the other side of the city. Around 30,000 of those vehicles exit the highway in Concord, state transportation officials said.
When the current project was proposed in 2018, the estimated cost was $268 million. Since then, the price tag has increased to $283 million, which will come from state and federal highway funding, not city tax dollars. The widening will add an additional 23 acres of pavement to the interstate in the city, increasing the total from 113 to 136.
The project aims to add one travel lane in each direction. Between each interchange, planners proposed adding auxiliary lanes to improve safety and reduce unnecessary merging.
In addition to calling for reduced expansion and improved connections within the city, residents raised concerns about increased traffic, the safety of bikers and pedestrians, and dividing the Merrimack River Greenway Trail. They asked for better landscaping and wanted the city to invest in a feasibility study to explore all potential options.
“I am an advocate for the city to encourage the state through this process to make places that do not preclude elements we value,” said Judith Kurtz. “Through collaboration, we can achieve what is necessary while including the needs and visions of Concord residents in the planning and execution of the I-93 project.”
She said an additional study would clarify the city’s vision before it’s too late. Councilors took notice.
“When the community comes to us and says, ‘Think beyond a highway,’ we should be thinking beyond a highway,” said Ward Three Councilor Jennifer Kretovic. “The community is telling us to think big and do big and we should be looking at that vision and say ‘We are going after that money.’ That’s the goal here.”
The study would specifically explore reasonable opportunities to build a deck park or a pedestrian bridge.
“If we were to build a deck park, we have the possibility of bringing people from across the river and blending people, which could bring economic advantages and integration into the community,” said Joel Eaton. “Don’t get locked into an infrastructure that, down the road, will prevent opportunities for the environment, city and people.”
Fisto Ndayishimiye, an immigrant from the Republic of the Congo, urged councilors to think about what this could mean for those living in the Heights, a neighborhood in east Concord that was recently named one of the most diverse areas of the state.
“I am here to speak on behalf of refugees and poor people,” Ndayishimiye said. “There is so much going on that is going to affect these people and none of those issues are being talked about.”
He continued to encourage councilors to think about the marginalized communities across the river, many of which do not have access to transportation, public or private, and how the expansion will further segregate them from other parts of the city, like downtown.
“When these decisions are being made, I am asking you to think about the community and the problems these decisions are going to make that we have to deal with and that these refugees are going to deal with,” Ndayishimiye said. “Think about new Americans, refugees and homeless people when you make these changes.”
His comments were well received by residents, who nodded while he spoke, and councilors, who thanked him for his testimony.
Closing public comment, Mayor Jim Bouley asked councilors to consider a feasibility study for a deck park and pedestrian bridge, which he said would certainly cost the city more money and time. The issue will be voted on next month.
“We heard a lot of good testimony tonight and I am not ready to make a decision, I need some time to process,” he said. “My goal over the next month is to gather my thoughts and I encourage everyone to do the same thing.”
Ward Five councilor Stacey Brown requested that, in addition to adopting a feasibility study proposal, a committee be formed and dedicated to looking at river access for pedestrians.
At-Large Councilor Byron Champlin acknowledged the importance of the council’s decision for the city’s future.
“This is our chance to vision big,” he said. “It’s time to dream a bit, it’s time to be ambitious and it’s up to us to decide where the payout will be worth the initial investment.”