Editing Concord, New Hampshire (section)

=== Complete Streets Improvement Project ===
Concord's downtown underwent a significant renovation between 2015 and 2016, during the city's "Complete Streets Improvement Project". At a proposed cost of $12 million, the project promised to deliver on categories of maintenance to aging [[infrastructure]], improved [[Accessibility (transport)|accessibility]], increased [[Sustainable urbanism|sustainability]], a safer experience for walkers, bikers and motorists alike, and to stimulate [[economic growth]] in an increasingly idle downtown.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Concord Streetscape|url=https://www.ibigroup.com/ibi-projects/concord-streetscape/|access-date=2020-11-19|website=IBI Group|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Concord Downtown Complete Streets Improvement Project: Benefit/Cost Analysis|url=https://www.concordnh.gov/DocumentCenter/View/1782/Summary---Main-Street?bidId=|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230906080539/https://www.concordnh.gov/DocumentCenter/View/1782/Summary---Main-Street?bidId=|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 6, 2023|website=City of Concord New Hampshire}}</ref> The main infrastructural change was reducing the four-lane street (two in each direction) to two lanes plus a turning lane in the center. The freed-up space would contribute to extra width for bikes to ride in either direction, increased curb size and an added median where there is no need for a turning lane.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=Concord Downtown Complete Streets Improvement Project: FY2012 TIGER Discretionary Grant Application|url=http://nh-concord.civicplus.com/DocumentCenter/View/1772/Application-Narrative?bidId=|website=City of Concord New Hampshire|access-date=2020-11-19|archive-date=2020-11-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201127161912/http://nh-concord.civicplus.com/DocumentCenter/View/1772/Application-Narrative?bidId=|url-status=dead}}</ref> Concord opted to add [[shared lane marking]]s for bikes, rather than a dedicated [[protected bike lane]].

By adding curb space, this project created new opportunities for pedestrians to enjoy the downtown. Many power lines were buried, and [[street trees]], colorful benches, art installations, and other [[Urban green space|green spaces]] were added, all allowing people to reclaim a space long dominated by cars.<ref name=":1" /> Main Street underwent serious [[traffic calming]], including a [[road diet]], increased diagonal parking, widening sidewalks, adding shared lane markings, adding trees, texturing medians and coloring crosswalks red.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Traffic Calming 101|url=https://www.pps.org/article/livememtraffic|access-date=2020-11-19|website=www.pps.org}}</ref> Another aspect of the new construction was adding heated sidewalk capabilities, utilizing excess steam from the local Concord Steam plant, and minimizing sand and snow blowing needed during the winter months.<ref name=":1" />

Funding for Complete Streets came from a combination of $4,710,000 from a [[Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery|USDOT TIGER grant]] and the rest from the City of Concord.<ref name=":1" /> The project was initially proposed as costing $7,850,000, but ran over budget due to overambitious ideas.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2014-06-27|title=Concord Main Street Project: Scaled Back, Still Over Budget|url=https://patch.com/new-hampshire/concord-nh/concord-main-street-project-scaled-back-still-over-budget|access-date=2020-11-19|website=Concord, NH Patch|language=en}}</ref> After scrapping some of the most expensive offenders, the budget ended up at $14.2 million, with the project actually coming in $1.1 million below that.<ref name=":2">{{Cite news|last=Reid|first=Nick|date=2017-02-19|title=Downtown: What's Concord doing with the Main Street Project surplus?|work=The Concord Monitor|url=https://www.concordmonitor.com/downtown-column-what-does-concord-nh-plan-to-do-with-the-Main-Street-Project-surplus-8123016|access-date=November 19, 2020|archive-date=September 6, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230906082040/https://www.concordmonitor.com/downtown-column-what-does-concord-nh-plan-to-do-with-the-Main-Street-Project-surplus-8123016|url-status=dead}}</ref> Although adding final aesthetic touches with the extra money were debated, the city council ended up deciding to save for financially straining years ahead.<ref name=":2" /> The design was carried out by McFarland Johnson, IBI Group, and City of Concord Engineering.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web|title=Downtown Complete Street Design {{!}} Concord, NH|url=https://mjinc.com/mjweb/projects/17842_02|website=McFarland Johnson|access-date=2020-11-19|archive-date=2020-09-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200929003127/https://www.mjinc.com/mjweb/projects/17842_02|url-status=dead}}</ref>