A coalition of four construction groups is urging the New Hampshire Legislature to override the veto of Gov. Kelly Ayotte and adopt the state’s 10-year highway bill (HB 2026).
The governor’s decision was widely expected since the bill included a proposed doubling of turnpike tolls charged mostly to out-of-state motorists. Ayotte had already blocked a bid by lawmakers to tuck that into a second bill (SB 627).
“As I stated when I vetoed Senate Bill 627, I do not support raising the tolls. I will continue to focus on making New Hampshire more affordable for all and a destination for tourists in the region,” Ayotte said in her veto message. “For these reasons, I have vetoed House Bill 2026.”
But the Associated General Contractors of NH, NH Good Roads Association, American Council of Engineering Companies of NH and Aggregate Manufacturers of New Hampshire all said the bill is too important to allow to end up in the veto dust bin.
“The Ten-Year Transportation Improvement Plan is much more than a list of projects,” they said in a joint statement to lawmakers in advance of next Wednesday, when the House and Senate meet to take up 29 Ayotte vetoes.
“It is New Hampshire’s roadmap for investing in the roads, bridges, and transportation infrastructure that support economic growth, connect communities, and ensure the safe movement of people and goods throughout the Granite State,” the statement continued.
During a recent briefing with the Executive Council, Transportation Commissioner David Rodrigue said Ayotte’s veto doesn’t end the 10-year program. It merely blocks changes the Legislature wanted to make to the last version that former Gov. Chris Sununu signed in 2024.
This veto attracted unusual bipartisan criticism last month.
“For decades, the 10-Year Plan has served as an exercise in bipartisanship, delivering billions of dollars into Granite State roads, bridges and infrastructure,” said House Deputy Speaker Steven Smith, R-Charlestown. “The Governor’s veto of HB 2026 is shortsighted and puts critical transportation projects across New Hampshire at risk. This 10-year plan invests in repairing broken roads, bridges, and other vital infrastructure that communities heavily rely on every single day.”
Rep. John Cloutier, a 17-term House Democrat from Claremont, is the ranking member of the House Public Works and Highways Committee.
“Rejecting this plan creates unnecessary uncertainty, delays projects that communities are counting on, and jeopardizes New Hampshire’s ability to maximize available federal transportation funding,” Cloutier said in a statement. “Safe roads, reliable bridges, and strong infrastructure should never become political bargaining chips. Granite Staters deserve leadership that plans ahead, invests responsibly, and keeps our transportation system moving forward.”
The proposed toll increase starting Jan. 1 would be levied on all motorists who don’t have a New Hampshire E-ZPass transponder. The bill would require the Department of Transportation to issue a free transponder to any New Hampshire resident who requested one.
Uncertainty ahead?
The construction groups said the changes Ayotte set aside would block “critical safety and mobility improvements,” including widening of Exits 6 and 7 on I-293 in Manchester and the widening of Interstate 93 through Bow and Concord.
Sustaining the veto only would add uncertainty for New Hampshire employers and workers as the groups maintained upgrading infrastructure is key to making investments, retaining skilled workers and planning for future growth, they said.
They concluded endorsing Ayotte’s move would make future transportation spending more expensive.
“At a time when construction costs continue to rise, delaying planned transportation investments will only make future improvements more expensive. The Ten-Year Plan provides the certainty needed for state and local officials, employers, and infrastructure partners to plan responsibly and deliver projects efficiently and cost-effectively,” the construction groups added.
Political observers view the bill as one of the few that stands a chance of overcoming Ayotte’s wishes with the first-term governor leaning on GOP backing in the midst of all of them seeking reelection this fall.
The high override bar in the House is a two-thirds vote of the entire membership, no matter how many are actually present next Wednesday.
Highway bills typically get overwhelming bipartisan support.
The last governor to veto a 10-year plan was one-term Republican Craig Benson in 2004. Ayotte was Benson’s legal counsel and he nominated her to be the state’s first female attorney general.
What’s Next: The bill will first return to the House of Representatives on Wednesday.
Outlook: Unclear. Both the House and state Senate each passed the bill on a voice vote. The question is whether there will be enough House GOP members who agree to have Ayotte’s back on this.