Revision: Jan. 8, 2026, 9:28 a.m.
SB 627-FN - AS INTRODUCED
2026 SESSION
26-2121
06/09
SENATE BILL 627-FN
SPONSORS: Sen. Watters, Dist 4; Sen. Fenton, Dist 10; Sen. Reardon, Dist 15
COMMITTEE: Transportation
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ANALYSIS
This bill:
I. Provides for toll rate adjustments at specified turnpike plazas to support projects in the 2027–2036 ten year transportation plan.
II. Establishes a frequent customer discount for New Hampshire E‑Z Pass users.
III. Authorizes the conveyance of a portion of Interstate Route 93 in the city of Concord to the bureau of turnpikes to accommodate improvements to the I‑93 Bow‑Concord corridor.
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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
26-2121
06/
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty-Six
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 Tolls. Amend RSA 237:9 to read as follows:
237:9 Tolls.
I. The commissioner of transportation, with the approval of the governor and council, shall establish toll rates and other charges for use of the New Hampshire turnpike system or any part of the right-of-way and other property acquired in connection therewith. The governor and council shall approve or reject the commissioner's proposed toll rates and other charges within 90 days of receiving them. The tolls collected shall be deposited with the state treasurer who shall keep the same in a separate account to be used exclusively for purposes of the New Hampshire turnpike system including, without limitation, the operating expenses, construction, reconstruction, and maintenance of the New Hampshire turnpike system. All operating expenses and maintenance costs shall be paid from said account. From the balance remaining after the payment of operating expenses and maintenance costs, there shall be paid the interest and principal on the bonds issued to finance the system. No part of such revenues shall, by transfer of funds or otherwise, be diverted to any other purpose whatsoever. Fourteen days previous to the time any interest or principal is payable, on any general obligation bonds issued to finance the system, the state treasurer shall examine the existing balance and, except as otherwise provided in RSA 237:10, if such balance is insufficient to make the payment, then he shall notify the governor who shall immediately draw his warrant on the highway fund to cover any deficit and if the funds in both of the above accounts are insufficient, the governor shall draw his warrant upon the state's general fund to the amount necessary to meet the payments. Any funds paid out from the state's highway fund or general fund for the above purposes shall be reimbursed from the collection of tolls as soon as such funds are available. Any funds that have been or may be expended for any portion of the system by the department of transportation shall be repaid to said department when, in the opinion of the governor and council, sufficient funds are available. Any excess income may be used for further system extensions in accordance with RSA 237:5, II(m). No provision of this chapter shall constitute a covenant with bondholders with respect to the charging, collection or disposition of tolls.
II. Notwithstanding paragraph I of this section, RSA 237:24, RSA 230:40, and any other provision of law to the contrary, to support the turnpike projects included in the 2027–2036 ten year transportation plan and to meet associated operating expenses and maintenance costs for the central New Hampshire turnpike, the eastern New Hampshire turnpike, and the New Hampshire turnpike system, the toll rates at the following toll plazas shall be increased as follows:
(a) Hooksett Main I‑93 Toll Plaza, Hampton Main I‑95 Toll Plaza, and Bedford Main F.E. Everett Turnpike Toll Plaza –increased by $1.00.
(b) Hampton Side Exit 2 I‑95 Toll Plaza, Dover Spaulding Turnpike Toll Plaza, and Rochester Spaulding Turnpike Toll Plaza –increased by $0.75.
(c) Hooksett Ramp I‑93 Exit 11 Toll Plaza –increased by $0.50.
2 New Paragraph; Frequent Customer Discount. Amend RSA 237:11 by inserting after paragraph V the following new paragraph:
VI. A vehicle listed on a funded New Hampshire E-Z Pass account, using the New Hampshire E-Z Pass electronic toll collection system with a working and properly mounted New Hampshire E‑Z Pass transponder, shall not be charged for more than 40 toll transactions per calendar month on the New Hampshire turnpike system.
3 Conveyance of a Portion of Interstate Route 93 in Concord. To accommodate the Bow‑Concord I‑93 improvement project, the department of transportation, acting by and on behalf of the state, is hereby authorized to convey to the bureau of turnpikes, and the bureau of turnpikes is authorized to acquire from the state, a portion of Interstate Route 93 in the city of Concord for the sum of $1.00 and under such other terms and conditions as the commissioner of transportation and the bureau of turnpikes determine to be reasonable or necessary to complete the acquisition. The bureau of turnpikes is further authorized to acquire, expand, and make improvements to the central New Hampshire turnpike from Interstate Route 93, Exit 14, north to the southerly expansion joint of the Interstate Route 93 bridges over the Merrimack River, identified as bridge numbers 136/116 and 136/117.
4 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 90 days after its passage.
26-2121
Revised 1/7/26
SB 627-FN- FISCAL NOTE
AS INTRODUCED
FISCAL IMPACT:
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| |||||
Estimated State Impact | ||||||
| FY 2026 | FY 2027 | FY 2028 | FY 2029 | ||
Revenue | $0 | $53,300,000 | $72,900,000 | $74,000,000 | ||
Revenue Fund(s) | Turnpike Fund | |||||
Expenditures* | $0 | Indeterminable | ||||
Funding Source(s) | Turnpike Fund | |||||
Appropriations* | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | ||
Funding Source(s) | None | |||||
*Expenditure = Cost of bill *Appropriation = Authorized funding to cover cost of bill | ||||||
METHODOLOGY:
This bill increases toll rates on the Turnpike System as follows:
In addition, this bill states that NH E-ZPass holders using E-ZPass transponders shall not be charged for more than 40 toll transactions per calendar month on the NH Turnpike system (with a valid transponder that’s read by the system). Lastly, this bill authorizes the sale of a portion of I-93 in Concord, from the state to the Turnpike System, for $1.
Revenue Impact
The Department of Transportation has provided the following revenue estimate associated with this bill:
Fiscal Year | Central Turnpike | Blue Star Turnpike | Spaulding Turnpike | Total Toll Revenue | 40+ Trip Frequent Discount | Total Toll Revenue w/ Discount |
2027 | $24.8 | $22.8 | $9.9 | $57.5 | ($4.2) | $53.3 |
2028 | $33.8 | $30.8 | $14.1 | $78.7 | ($5.7) | $72.9 |
2029 | $34.4 | $31.1 | $14.4 | $79.8 | ($5.8) | $74.0 |
2030 | $34.9 | $31.4 | $14.7 | $81.0 | ($5.9) | $75.1 |
2031 | $35.5 | $31.7 | $14.9 | $82.1 | ($6.0) | $76.1 |
2032 | $36.0 | $32.0 | $15.2 | $83.2 | ($6.1) | $77.1 |
2033 | $36.5 | $32.3 | $15.4 | $84.2 | ($6.2) | $78.0 |
2034 | $37.5 | $32.5 | $15.7 | $85.6 | ($6.3) | $79.4 |
2035 | $38.2 | $32.7 | $15.8 | $86.8 | ($6.4) | $80.4 |
2036 | $38.8 | $32.9 | $16.0 | $87.8 | ($6.4) | $81.4 |
Expenditure Impact
The Department of Transportation states there may be expenditures associated with necessary programming changes within the Turnpike System back-office software to accommodate rate changes as indicated in this bill. The Department states there may also be expenditures associated with the sale of a portion of I-93, initially funded with Federal Highway dollars, as any sale will need to comply with Federal Highway regulations and typically an assessment of the fair market value. The Department did not provide expenditure estimates or ranges.
AGENCIES CONTACTED:
Department of Transportation