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48-550: The Little Bay Bridge (occasionally referred to in the plural) refers to one or more bridges that carry road traffic across the mouth of Little Bay where it meets the Piscataqua River , between the city of Dover and the town of Newington in New Hampshire . The term has been in use since at least 1933. Currently, a pair of four-lane girder bridges carry a concurrency of U.S. Route 4 , NH Route 16 , and

96-493: A 2026 completion date. In June 2023, $ 20 million was allocated for the project from the federal Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) program. In August 2023, NH DOT put the General Sullivan Bridge up for sale, but did not receive any offers. In September 2023, bidding for the replacement project came in at over $ 80 million, potentially delaying efforts. In September 2024, it

144-523: A 3,438 word commission, on September 18. The Royal Commission separated the territory of New Hampshire from Massachusetts and directed that a new government be organized in the Province of New Hampshire . A president and a nine-member council (representing the four towns of Portsmouth , Dover , Hampton and Exeter ) were appointed by the king from the 4,000 settlers of the seacoast area and were required to assume office by January 21, 1680. Appointees to

192-491: A 3–2 edge. This was part of a massive Democratic landslide in which the party won control of both chambers of the New Hampshire General Court , the re-election of John Lynch as governor, and both of the state's seats in the federal U.S. House of Representatives . In 2010, Republicans claimed all five council seats as part of a national electoral wave that locally saw Republicans taking control of both

240-539: A comprehensive improvement of the area. All three bridges were under scrutiny, with four options considered. Three called for expansion of the Little Bay Bridge to six or eight lanes and restoration of the General Sullivan as both a pedestrian/bicycle way and alternative for buses and overflow traffic. The fourth would have replaced all three spans with an eight lane bridge. Ultimately, a second span

288-479: A highly likely bottleneck , a second span was to be built in the future. On September 28, 1966, the Eastern Turnpike Bridge , a two-lane girder bridge that costed US$ 3 million ($ 28.2 million in 2023), was opened. Upon its opening, the existing General Sullivan Bridge was converted to serving southbound traffic only; this doubled the capacity of the crossing from what it was prior. In 1984,

336-696: Is at Hilton Point in Dover, New Hampshire , where waters from the bay flow into the Piscataqua River , thence proceeding southeast to the Atlantic Ocean near Portsmouth . The northern end of the bay, near its outlet, is referred to as Little Bay . Located within the Gulf of Maine watershed, the Great Bay Estuary is a drowned river valley composed of high-energy tidal waters, deep channels and fringing mudflats. The entire estuary extends inland from

384-682: Is one of the most recessed. Approximately 14,000 years ago, following the melting of the glaciers, the Great Bay estuary was formed. The glacial melt waters contributed to rising ocean waters, which flooded the land and filled the river valleys that make up Great Bay today. There are five very different water-dominated habitats that make up the Great Bay. In order of abundance they are: eelgrass meadows, mudflats , salt marsh , channel bottom, and rocky intertidal . These habitats are home to 162 bird, fish and plant species (23 of which are threatened or endangered), countless invertebrate species and even

432-683: The Capt. John F. Rowe Bridge , named after merchant John Rowe , was completed. It was a new twin of the Rowe Bridge to carry northbound traffic. Southbound traffic was moved onto the 1966 bridge, and the General Sullivan Bridge was repurposed as a pedestrian walkway; this made it a highly popular fishing spot in the area. In 1988, the Sullivan bridge was deemed eligible for the National Register of Historic Places . In 2010, fencing

480-638: The Governor on all matters and provides a check on the governor's power. While the governor retains the right to veto legislation passed by the New Hampshire General Court , and commands the New Hampshire National Guard , the council has veto power over pardons , contracts with a value greater than $ 10,000, and nominations. The Executive Council Chambers have been located in the New Hampshire State House since

528-495: The National Register of Historic Places . While the Rowe bridge was built to accommodate four lanes of northbound motorized traffic, its current configuration is limited to three lanes in order to accommodate a non-motorized multi-use path, the removal of which would be enabled by restoration or replacement of the General Sullivan Bridge, giving that effort additional relevance. As of July 2018, restored pedestrian and bicycle access to

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576-657: The Spaulding Turnpike over the mouth of Little Bay. As of August 2019, the bridges carried seven motor vehicle lanes with four shoulders, and one non-motorized multi-use path. The first Little Bay Bridge was a covered bridge that was made up of two spectate segments, one for wagons and mobile transportation, and one for railroad tracks. It opened to wagon traffic in December 1873 when partially completed, and began carrying rail traffic in February 1874 when it

624-440: The gundalow , was developed to make use of the tides and carry heavy loads in shallow waters. Gundalows transported many types of freight. Saltmarsh hay, lumber, fish, clay and textiles were just a few of the cargoes. Salt hay harvested along the shores was used as food and bedding for horses and cattle. Sawmills located along the tidal rivers produced lumber that was exported to other U.S. ports. Core drilling shows evidence that

672-524: The General Sullivan Bridge was planned for the summer of 2022. As of January 2020, "the state’s plan now is to build a new bridge on the existing piers ". The new bridge was expected to be a 16-foot-wide (4.9 m) multi-use path. In February 2023, the New Hampshire Department of Transportation (NH DOT) estimated the cost of replacing the original bridge with a 9-foot-wide (2.7 m) bicycle and pedestrian walkway at $ 34.8 million, with

720-420: The Great Bay estuarine hydrosystem. The tidal range is dramatic within Great Bay. Average depth of the embayment is 2.7 meters (8.9 ft) with channels extending to 17.7 m (58 ft). The water surface of Great Bay covers 8.9 square miles (23 km ) at high tide and 4.2 square miles (11 km ) at low tide, leaving greater than 50% of the bay exposed at low tide. The Great Bay Estuary, when counting

768-616: The Industrial Revolution. Wherever gundalow ports were, mills were built. The estuary continued to be heavily used for commercial purposes throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries. Gristmills and tanneries on the rivers of the estuary contributed significantly to the chemical pollution until the mid 20th century. When the Greek entrepreneur Aristotle Onassis proposed building the Olympic Oil Refinery in

816-659: The Rowe Bridge was opened on May 23, 2019. All four lanes of the Griffin bridge were opened to southbound traffic on July 20, 2019. A non-motorized multi-use path was opened on the northbound shoulder in August 2019. On April 21, 2020, a new lane pattern was established on the Griffin Bridge. A new merging pattern onto the Rowe bridge, better enabling traffic from U.S. Route 4 and the Spaulding Turnpike to utilize

864-989: The administration of the affairs of the state as defined in the New Hampshire Constitution , the New Hampshire Revised Statutes Annotated , and the advisory opinions of the New Hampshire Supreme Court and the New Hampshire Attorney General . The General Court has also designated specific powers to the governor and council in RSA Chapter 4. Other powers of the council derive from the NH Constitution: The Executive Council had its beginnings in 1679, when King Charles II issued

912-549: The assembly, which was convened on March 16, 1680. The first assembly, of which the council was the upper branch, was quick to express its opposition to the directives of the royal command. They promptly enacted a law that New Hampshire's property owners' titles, as granted by the Massachusetts Bay Colony over the years, would continue as valid, contrary to the ruling of the King . The legislators also joined with

960-482: The bay's shoreline and protects numerous land and water areas around the estuary, including salt marshes, rocky shores, bluffs, woodlands, open fields, and riverine systems and tidal waters. Executive Council of New Hampshire The Executive Council of the State of New Hampshire (commonly known as the Governor's Council ) is the executive body of the U.S. state of New Hampshire . The Executive Council advises

1008-461: The chambers were added to the capitol in 1909. The Executive Council is made up of five councilors elected for two-year terms by their respective districts. The General Court divides the state into five districts by population, as needed for the public good, with each district containing approximately 275,500 residents. The Governor has the sole power and authority to convene meetings of the council at his or her discretion. The council does not have

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1056-517: The combined productivity of its seaweed , salt marsh grasses , and phytoplankton , the Gulf of Maine is also one of the world's most productive water bodies. Historically, it has been a source of livelihood for tens of thousands of commercial fishermen. More recently, recreation- and tourism-related employment has been recognized as a major contributor to the region's economy. The Great Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve occupies several portions of

1104-568: The council and president were all Puritans , some with long associations with the Boston government and several had served in the Puritan legislature in Boston. Some of the designated council members were so firmly opposed to the new government that they considered refusing their appointed positions. When an ultimatum was presented that less desirable men would replace them, they all relented and took

1152-459: The council was in danger of being eliminated was in 1850, when the future U.S. President Franklin Pierce suggested its removal during that year's Constitutional Convention, with the voters of New Hampshire disagreeing with him by a more than two to one margin (27,910 to 11,299). In 1933, Executive Council meetings were opened to the public. In 2006, Democrats gained two council seats, giving them

1200-462: The divided decks with a unified road deck. Renovations were completed in November 2015, although the Rowe bridge remained closed for several years due to significant realignment work on the nearby U.S. Route 4 interchange. In 2015, the mid-section of the General Sullivan Bridge was closed off due to worsening condition, this rendered the bridge functionally obsolete. In June 2018, the 2013 bridge

1248-615: The entire tidal system including the Piscataqua River , meets the Atlantic Ocean at the mouth of the Piscataqua, between New Castle, New Hampshire and Kittery, Maine . Tides carry salt water into the estuary twice daily from the Atlantic. Here it mingles with the fresh water influence from the various rivers that empty into Great Bay. It is one of the largest estuaries on the Atlantic Coast and at 10 miles (16 km) inland

1296-406: The excess nutrients for growth. More than half of Great Bay is exposed as mudflats at low tide. Worms, soft-shelled clams, mud snails, green crabs, wading birds, horseshoe crabs and many other animals utilize the extensive mudflat habitat for feeding, reproduction and protection from predators. The channel bottom habitat provides a place for fish and invertebrates to move to at low tide. It is also

1344-456: The first to live on the shores of Great Bay. They survived on the abundant fish, shellfish, waterfowl and mammals that lived in and around the estuary. The early 17th century brought the arrival of European settlers who also took advantage of the seemingly endless supply of resources. They used the bay to transport their harvests. The tidal influence was the perfect way to move goods without much human or animal effort. A simple, flat-bottomed boat,

1392-561: The founding fathers of the state created New Hampshire's first constitution, which eliminated the position of governor, but kept the concept of a council due to its former status as a check on the power of authoritarian rule, a recurring theme during the Revolution and afterwards with the creation of the Articles of Confederation , an ethos that made the founding fathers change selection of councilors from appointed to elected positions In

1440-591: The four lanes, went into effect in April 2020. By June 2020, the project was substantially completed, with the shoulders and signage being finalized. While the General Sullivan Bridge "is nationally significant... as an early and highly influential example of continuous truss highway design in the United States", its future is uncertain. The Coast Guard regards it as a navigation hazard and favors its removal. Bridge proponents cite its eligibility for listing on

1488-430: The governor and council to be compensated for their services, from time to time, by such grants as the general courts shall think reasonable. (Part II. Art. 58) Each councilor is provided a salary of $ 12,354 (FY 2006). The councilor for District 1 receives a $ 5,800 stipend in lieu of expenses while the other districts' councilors receive $ 4,000. The Governor and Council, together, have the authority and responsibility over

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1536-464: The mouth of the Piscataqua River between Kittery, Maine , and New Castle, New Hampshire through Little Bay into Great Bay proper at Furber Strait, a distance of 12 miles (19 km). The Great Bay Estuary is a tidally-dominated system and is the drainage confluence of three major rivers, the Lamprey , Squamscott , and Winnicut . Four additional rivers flow into the system between Furber Strait and

1584-544: The oath of office on January 21, 1680. John Cutt , a wealthy Portsmouth merchant, was appointed the first president (later called Governor) of New Hampshire. The first official act of the President and Council was to create a legislative body, then called an Assembly , to raise taxes and establish public conduct laws. The president and council obtained listings of property owners in the four towns and posted those freeholders (voters) in each town, to elect representatives to

1632-428: The occasional harbor seal. Eelgrass is one of a very few underwater marine flowering plants. It has many functions in the estuarine system. The eelgrass community provides habitat for several organisms, especially the young of fish and invertebrates. Eelgrass roots help stabilize the bottom sediments. Eelgrass plants help maintain water quality and clarity by filtering the water allowing sediments to settle and then using

1680-523: The open coast: the Cocheco , Salmon Falls , Bellamy , and Oyster rivers. The Piscataqua River is an ocean-dominated system extending from the Gulf of Maine at Portsmouth Harbor and forming the border of New Hampshire and Maine to the fork of its tributaries, the Salmon Falls and Cocheco rivers. These rivers, several small creeks and their tributaries and ocean water from the Gulf of Maine create

1728-574: The power or authority to convene itself. The governor with, or a majority of, the council "may and shall, from time to time hold a council, for ordering and directing the affairs of the state, according to the laws of the land." ( Part II. Art. 62 of the N.H. Constitution ) Members of the council may be impeached by the House, and tried by the Senate for bribery, corruption, malpractice, or maladministration. ( Part II. Art 63 ) The constitution provides for

1776-406: The preferred habitat for oysters, a highly specialized animal that only lives in estuaries. Rocky intertidal habitat provides firm anchorage for seaweeds, barnacles, and ribbed mussels. Each winter, much of the standing crop of seaweeds becomes entrapped in ice. When the ice begins to break up in spring, the seaweeds are torn from the rocks and enter into the detritus cycle. Native Americans were

1824-513: The president and his council in voting an apology to the Bay State for having been torn from their jurisdiction. They also expressed special appreciation for the favors they received through the 38-year affiliation. At that time, the council's primary responsibility was to report on the activities of the president to the King, especially if he strayed from the crown's dictates. On January 5, 1776,

1872-410: The second and current Constitution, first written in 1784, a head executive was renewed, but given the title "President" rather than Governor to avoid the connotations of the royal governorship during the colonial period. (The title was changed to "Governor" by 1792.) However, the council, while being unable to act on its own, was now given the right to veto the head of state by a 3–2 vote. The only time

1920-489: The town of Durham along the shore of Great Bay in 1973, local citizens mobilized and, by exercising their right to "home rule", defeated the proposal by a margin of nine to one. The Gulf of Maine , of which Great Bay is a branch, is often considered by scientists and the public alike as one of the most pristine marine environments on the East Coast of the United States . As a result of its water circulation patterns and

1968-574: The whole bay was once covered by several inches of sawdust from the dozens of sawmills around the bay's shores. The lumber produced also fueled the shipbuilding business along the Piscataqua River until steam-powered steel vessels became cheaper to build. Brickyards also dotted the shores of Great Bay and its tributaries. Blue marine clay was harvested from along the estuary shores and made into bricks that were used to build locally and all around New England. Cotton mills were an important part of

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2016-404: Was chosen however. Work on a new bridge began circa 2011, and was completed in November 2013 to temporarily ease traffic congestion across the Rowe bridge. It is physically located between the original Rowe and General Sullivan Bridge. Once the Griffin bridge was completed, all traffic from the Rowe bridge was moved to it, so both of the Rowe bridges could be closed for renovations and replacement of

2064-439: Was closed and slated for demolition, and after roughly 61 years of service, the original bridge was fully deconstructed by February 1935. On November 1, 1949, the bridge's toll was removed, as the bonds that required them were fully paid off. In 1950, significant repairs were made to the bridge. When built through the area, the Spaulding Turnpike was routed over the bridge in 1956. However, knowing its two laned roadway as

2112-492: Was dedicated that year on September 5. It lies approximately 100 yards (91 m) south of the 1873–74 bridge. It cost US$ 1 million to build ($ 22.8 million in 2023), and in early 1935 was named the "General John Sullivan Memorial Bridge" (commonly known as the General Sullivan Bridge ) in honor of John Sullivan , a Revolutionary War general from nearby Somersworth . At this point, the original bridge

2160-401: Was fully completed. It was also a for profit toll bridge. In 1888, the bridge was closed for repairs, the first of many it received. Circa 1918, rocks were placed on the bridge's piers after it had been discovered they suffered from ice-created scour. In 1928, construction began on a replacement of the functionally obsolete and structurally challenged bridge. It was completed in 1934, and

2208-557: Was installed on the General Sullivan Bridge to warn pedestrians about a new capacity limit enacted onto specific areas, this was done due to concerns about the bridge's poor structural condition. That next year, the bridge was repaired, and the Dover approach was rebuilt into a curved ramp to allow construction. The Little Bay Bridge and its access roads on the Dover and Newington banks had been prone to traffic congestion during morning and afternoon rush hours. The New Hampshire DOT planned

2256-584: Was officially named the Ruth L. Griffin Bridge , named for a 20-year member of the Executive Council of New Hampshire . Griffin died in August 2024, aged 99. In September 2018, the General Sullivan Bridge was permanently closed for all uses, due to safety concerns that it was unsound. Two lanes of Northbound traffic returned to the newly rebuilt Rowe bridge in December 2018. The third northbound lane on

2304-751: Was reported that plans were in development for a less expensive bridge for pedestrians and bicycles. Although unnamed, the General Sullivan Bridge appeared in a 1997 episode of WWF Monday Night Raw , when Steve Austin threw the WWE Intercontinental Championship belt (then belonging to The Rock ) into the river below. Great Bay (New Hampshire) Great Bay is a tidal estuary located in Strafford and Rockingham counties in eastern New Hampshire , United States . The bay occupies over 6,000 acres (24 km ), not including its several tidal river tributaries. Its outlet

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