Memorial Bridge Illumination to Cost $200K

The chairman of the Memorial Bridge Illumination Subcommittee said Thursday afternoon that it will now cost $200,000 to light up the new span instead of $80,000 as a result of a number of changes.

Peter Somssich said issues ranging from the best way to navigate the dark sky concerns, higher New Hampshire Department of Transportation installation costs and the decision to also illuminate the center span of the new bridge all contributed to the higher figure.

Somssich explained that the subcommittee decided to go with downlighting instead of uplighting the bridge from the roadway to lessen the impact on the night sky. As a result, the lighting will have to be installed on the top of the new bridge's two towers.

“Because of that you need to put conduit all the way up those towers,” he said. This change added $35,000 to the total cost.

Somssich said the subcommittee also learned from the DOT that it will cost $10,000 more to install the lighting before the new Memorial Bridge project is completed in July.

“It wasn’t until about a month ago that the real numbers started to become clear,” he added.

Somssich explained the third big driver is coming from the decision by the DOT and the subcommittee to illuminate the center span as well as the two towers. He said this will cost an additional $50,000. Somssich also said the DOT had to cover the cost of a change order, which amounts to 5 percent of the total cost.

He said the subcommittee's contingency fund for the project will also need additional money just in case anything else arises. But he doesn't anticipate seeing any more cost increases.

“I am pretty convinced that the $200,000 that we are talking about is pretty close to what it will be,” he said.

As far as the subcommittee's capital campaign, Somssich said it has received pledge commitments of over $35,000 and with more coming in the next few weeks. Bob Thoresen, the former Portsmouth City Planner, is also the coordinator of the fundraising effort.

Somssich said the subcommittee would like to meet its goal by the end of March.