NHDOT’s Interstate 93 team wins national award

Efforts to protect Canobie Lake, Cobbett’s Pond cited for innovation

The NH Department of Transportation has been honored by the Northeast Association of State Transportation Officials for its work in protecting Canobie Lake and Cobbett's Pond as part of the widening of Interstate 93.

The association named the NHDOT the winner of its "Best Use of Innovation" in the medium-sized project category for its efforts to protect the natural resources.

"In general, the I-93 corridor near exit 3 has a large footprint of work that has been threaded through two major water bodies, Cobbett's Pond and Canobie Lake," said Wendy Johnson, NHDOT's I-93 project director. "The department, in collaboration with many stakeholders including the lake associations, NH Department of Environmental Services, the contractors and the designers, were searching for solutions to provide as much protection from erosion control and stormwater runoff, and specifically for these water bodies. This resulted in new, more efficient ways to treat the stormwater that not only kept the project within environmental compliance, it gained public support and interest in the project."

In its citation, the association said the practices increased awareness and support for the project, which is creating opportunities to benefit the local and regional economies in the state, according to the association.

The award was one of seven given to northeastern states' departments of transportation highlighting excellence in construction projects that improve travel safety.