Transportation
Transportation Advisory Committee
In New Hampshire, local input into the state's decisions on federal highway funding spending is facilitated through regional planning commissions and their transportation advisory committees. North Country Council's (NCC) Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC) prioritizes regional and local transportation needs such as highway improvements, public transit, and corridor studies. The TAC also establishes transportation policies needed for the successful movement of people and goods to, from, and within the region. NCC, New Hampshire Department of Transportation (NHDOT) and the TAC work together on transportation planning issues affecting the North Country.
The Transportation Advisory Committee is made up of two appointees from each of North Country Council's member communities. The TAC also has representation from the NHDOT District Offices, aviation, railroads, transit and other transportation stakeholders.
Ten Year Transportation Improvement Plan
The state's Ten Year Transportation Improvement Plan is a comprehensive list of all of the transportation projects that will be funded in the state during the next ten years. This plan is updated biennially in order to add new projects and review or amend existing projects. The cycle for the Ten Year Plan (TYP) begins with the state's regional planning commissions. North Country Council (NCC) solicits input on the regional Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) from communities. North Country Council’s Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC) then reviews and ranks each project from the region based on selection criteria previously established by the TAC. The region's TIP then becomes the basis for the TAC's input into the state's Ten Year Transportation Improvement Plan. NCC represents the region at public hearings held by the Governor’s Advisory Commission on Intermodal Transportation (GACIT) on the draft Ten Year Transportation Improvement Plan. After the GACIT amends the TYP based on this input, it is then submitted to the Governor, who reviews or amends it and forwards it on to the New Hampshire Legislature for consideration and final approval.
Safe Routes to School Program (SRTS)
Transportation Enhancement Program (TE)
Safe Routes to School and the Transportation Enhancement Program are two of the funding programs offered periodically through the New Hampshire Department of Transportation (NHDOT). The Safe Routes to School Program supports infrastructure and non-infrastructure projects which encourage safe walking/bicycling to school from home. The Transportation Enhancement Program provides funding for sidewalks, bike paths and lanes, or preservation of historic transportation structures.
Funding for the Transportation Enhancement Program occurs about every two years. The Safe Routes to School Program is new to the state of New Hampshire and currently has two funding rounds per year - one in the spring and the other in the fall. North Country Council assists the NHDOT with outreach to communities about these and other transportation funding programs, and assists member communities with eligible projects to apply for funding. This support might include identifying resources for assistance with accurate cost estimates and other details of the proposed project.
Click here for NCC Transportation Enhancement Scoring Criteria.
Click here for more information on Safe Routes to School program.
Special Planning Research Grants - Corridor Studies
Sometimes transportation issues do not have a simple fix and require further study. Transportation corridor studies and corridor management plans are increasingly being used to identify the most efficient and cost effective approach to solving and preventing transportation problems. The New Hampshire Department of Transportation periodically makes available Special Planning Research Grants for corridor studies and other special planning projects. North Country Council (NCC) has conducted several corridor studies on high priority highway segments throughout the region. Priorities for these funds are established by the NCC Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC).
Traffic Counts and Road Inventories
Traffic counts throughout the region and local road inventories are conducted by North Country Council (NCC) in collaboration with New Hampshire Department of Transportation (NHDOT). The traffic count program provides essential statistical data used by the state, NCC, municipalities and developers in the study of traffic issues and planning for transportation improvements. Member communities can also contract directly with NCC to collect data specific to local concerns. Counts are primarily conducted in the late spring to early fall. Data can be collected for volume and vehicle classification. Turning movement counts can also be conducted to analyze intersection performance.
North Country Council is also avaiable to assist communities in updating their road inventories. Inventories are used to determine the amount of Highway Block Aid funding a community recieves.
Regional Transportation Plan
The Regional Transportation Plan is a policy document that will guide NCC, NHDOT, member communities and partner organizations in making important decisions regarding transportation and other key issues. This plan describes the existing transportation system in the region, including the current trends and patterns and outlines local and regional priorities to help guide future growth of a safe and efficient transportation system while preserving the qualities that make the North Country region unique. North Country Council recently developed this plan with the assistance of the NCC Transportation Advisory Committee. See Publications and Reports page for current plan.
Coordinated Public Transit and Human Services Transportation Plan for New Hampshire's North Country
A large portion of the residents of New Hampshire’s North Country, as well as the rest of the state, does not have access to personal automobiles. Given the rural nature of the region, there is inadequate access to public transportation and transit, making it difficult to access employment, health care, shopping and recreation. North Country Council recently updated the Coordinated Public Transit and Human Services Transportation Plan for New Hampshire’s North Country with the purpose of developing a comprehensive strategy to assist stakeholders like the NH Department of Transportation (NHDOT), NH Department of Health and Human Services (NHDHHS), transportation providers, transportation coordinators, and other community agencies to help North Country residents meet their transportation needs. See Publications and Reports page for current plan.
Scenic Byways Program
The Scenic Byways Program protects and enhances our region’s scenic and cultural byways through promotion of byways for tourism, development of interpretative centers, and the protection of historic and cultural artifacts and locations along the byways. There are three National Scenic Byways in the North Country - the White Mountain Trail, the Kancamagus Highway, and the Connecticut River Byway. In addition, there are several regional scenic byways.
The main components of the Scenic Byways Program are the Scenic Byways Council and Scenic Byways Grants. The Council meets periodically to discuss promotional programs; potential projects, such as interpretative centers and kiosks along the byways; and resource protection needs, including historic and cultural protection measures. The Council also maintains an up-to-date corridor management plan. The Scenic Byways Grant Program is available annually for projects located along the scenic byways that enhance the byway, interpret resources along byways, or protect natural, historic and cultural resources along the byway. North Country Council facilitates the Scenic Byways Council and is available to assist with these grant applications.
Download the White Mountain Trail National Scenic Byway Corridor Management Plan