For Immediate Release
Posted: April 01, 2025
Contact
Adam Chestnut, Construction Bureau
(603) 953-5351
Jennifer Lane, Chief Communications Officer
(603) 271-6495

Upcoming Lane Split on Northbound Spaulding Turnpike in Dover

New traffic pattern with reduced lane widths will be in place for seven months for reconstruction of the Northbound Cocheco River Bridge.

The New Hampshire Department of Transportation (NHDOT) will implement a new traffic pattern on the Spaulding Turnpike (NH Route 16) in Dover between Exits 8 and 9 to complete bridge reconstruction at the Northbound Cocheco River Bridge. 
  
On the night of Monday, April 7, 2025, construction crews will conduct pavement marking operations and install temporary concrete barrier to move the existing two lanes of northbound Spaulding Turnpike traffic into a split traffic pattern.   In the new pattern, northbound traffic will be split just south of the Cocheco River Bridge.  The high-speed (left) lane will branch off to the left, cross over the median and travel on the southbound barrel over the bridge, returning to the northbound barrel just north of the bridge.  The low-speed (right) lane will be moved into the northbound right shoulder to cross the bridge and will re-align with the high-speed lane just north of the bridge.  The existing two lanes of southbound traffic will be shifted into the westerly shoulder to accommodate this new traffic pattern. 
  
Night work hours to implement this traffic pattern will be between the hours of 8:00pm and 6:00am.  The work is weather dependent and is expected to be completed in 1 night
Lane closures with uniformed police officers will be utilized to control traffic during this operation.  Motorists should exercise caution when driving through the construction zone.   
  
This temporary traffic pattern will include reduced lane widths for northbound traffic.  The high-speed lane will have 12 ft width between the concrete barrier and bridge rail.  The low-speed lane will have 13 ft width between the concrete barrier and bridge rail.  Truck traffic is directed to utilize the right lane to pass thru the work area.  Loads more than 10’-6” wide will not be able to pass thru the work area.  

This traffic pattern is anticipated to be in place until mid-November 2025 at which point traffic will be returned to its normal pattern. 
 
Get real-time traffic news from https://newengland511.org/.  Let “My511” alert you to incidents and construction work. 
  
The work is part of the Dover 41824 project. Evroks Corporation of Northfield, NH is the prime contractor for the $14 million project, which is scheduled to be completed in June 2027.