Foster's Daily Democrat
October 20, 2010

PORTSMOUTH — The nation's top transportation official will be in Portsmouth today for a big announcement that will accompany an equally large check.

U.S Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood is expected to gather with top state officials and congressional delegates from Maine and New Hampshire to formally announce the awarding of a $20 million federal stimulus grant to help fund the replacement of Memorial Bridge.

State officials learned of the approval of the federal grant money on Friday, but the a formal announcement will come today when LaHood meets with numerous elected officials including New Hampshire Gov. John Lynch, Maine Gov. John Baldacci, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen and Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter of New Hampshire.

The gathering will take place at One Harbour Place in Portsmouth with Maine congressional delegates also expected to attend.

A N.H. Department of Transportation application seeking $20 million Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery or (TIGER II) program dollars has been approved and will be used to help fund an estimate $90 million project to replace Memorial Bridge.

The application process to secure TIGER II funding was extremely competitive and only 3 percent of the $19 billion requested in nationwide applications was approved.

News of the funding was met with excitement at the end of last week when delegates hailed the approval as a collaborative effort by Maine and New Hampshire leaders to stress the importance of the project.

Memorial Bridge carries Route 1 between downtown Portsmouth and Kittery, Maine.

Gov. Lynch has made the project one of New Hampshire's top transportation priorities and recently signed an executive order along with Maine Gov. Baldacci, which signified the state's joint commitment to getting a replacement project under way.

Officials are looking to have the project designed and a bid awarded to a contractor in time for work to begin in the fall of 2011.

New Hampshire DOT Commissioner George Campbell said Lahood's decision to personally travel to the Seacoast to announce the grant is a testament to the importance of a project that will replace a deteriorating bridge whose life span was estimated at 1-3 years.

"He could have sent a memo ... instead he is coming up," Campbell said on Monday.