A transportation grant will help Somersworth improve its downtown, ideas welcome.

Somersworth’s motto is “Proud Past, Bright Future.” The phrase reflects the city’s current plans for renovation. Once known for its flourishing manufacturing plants and community involvement, the city is trying to revive its downtown district into a more enjoyable place for visitors and residents. The area is currently dotted with vacant buildings, aging roadways, and less-than-safe sidewalks.

Somersworth was recently granted a $500,000 Transportation Enhancement Grant by the N.H. Department of Transportation. The grant will help the city establish new gateways into the downtown business district and help renovate pedestrian pathways for a more accessible and safer environment.

“The downtown structures haven’t been upgraded in a very long time,” said Paul Goodwin, an intern with the Somersworth Planning Department and recent graduate from the University of New Hampshire.

A small portion of the grant will go toward improvements to the two entrances into the downtown district—at the five-way intersection on High Street and on Market Street near the bridge that connects Somersworth and Berwick, Maine.

As part of the city’s Master Plan, the City Council hosted a Public Design Workshop and Design Contest on Aug. 7. Members of the public went to the council chambers to submit their visions of what the new gateway areas should look like.

“A gateway is a lot more than literal signage,” said Goodwin. “A good gate sends social cues. It’s how communities identify themselves.”

People were encouraged to express their views on what kinds of improvements they would like to see. Some drew sketches of structures, while others put together lists of potential improvements. Some ideas included welcome banners, funky and innovative crosswalk designs, an archway, general street beautification tips, and narrowing the streets to encourage safer driving.

There will be no specific winner of the contest, but all the designs will be sent to the architect heading the project for consideration. The idea is that the public’s designs will influence the final outcome.

The design phase is expected to continue through the upcoming winter, with a finalized design by the spring. Construction is planned to start in the fall of 2013 and could take up to a year to complete.

The Transportation Enhancement Grant will also serve as a catalyst for a $1.2 million bond that will allow the city to renovate the streets, as well. This means repaving and fixing any potholes and other imperfections on High Street, Market Street, and part of Main Street. If the bond goes through, reconstruction of the roadways will happen at the same time as the other downtown renovations.

“We want it to be like Portsmouth in that the cars are subservient to the pedestrians,” said Goodwin. “We are reclaiming the street as commuter space.”

The idea is to have bright signage and wide crosswalks and sidewalks that can also accommodate handicapped people, which the area is currently lacking. When drivers enter the downtown district they will, hopefully, realize they have entered a different type of space and must slow down and pay more attention to pedestrians.

The grant is awarded based on a point system, with communities accumulating points based on how poor their road conditions are. The money is meant to go toward the enhancement of the public’s transportation experience, includes pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure and safety programs, scenic and historic programs, and landscaping.

“Hopefully, it can unify as a place to gather, and everyone can navigate downtown with ease,” said Goodwin.

Submissions for improvements and gateway designs will be accepted until the second week of September. People can send their suggestions to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , @WorthPlanning on Twitter, or WorthPlanning on Facebook.