Middle Road Corridor Traffic Calming

Update: April 15, 2021
Bollards have been placed in several locations along Middle Road with the intention of visually narrowing the road to slow traffic. These "bump-outs" were placed where they would not interfere with parking, driveways or side streets. At the Middle Road/Middle Street intersection, all traffic will now be using the gas station side of the traffic island.

The City of Portsmouth prioritizes convenient, safe and accessible streets and roadways for all transportation users. As traffic safety issues arise, the Neighborhood Traffic Calming Program provides a mechanism for neighborhood groups to work with the City. It is intended to ensure that all neighborhood stakeholders are provided the opportunity to be involved.

In response to resident concerns about high traffic speeds and pedestrian safety along the Middle Road corridor, the City has identified a project in the Capital Improvement Plan that would look to provide traffic calming treatments to slow traffic and provide pedestrian and bicycle accommodations along Middle Road between Peverly Hill Road and Middle Street. The preliminary design and engineering for this project is scheduled to start in Fiscal Year 2022, with final design and construction scheduled for Fiscal Year 2026.

In the meantime, residents have appealed to the City's Parking & Traffic Safety (PTS) Committee to work with them to implement some interim traffic calming measures. At the request of the PTS Committee, City staff held a neighborhood meeting on November 12, 2020 to review some potential temporary measures for consideration. A follow-up neighborhood meeting was also held on January 28, 2021.