Challenge

The City of Portsmouth has made meaningful strides in supporting people who walk and bike since adopting its first bicycle and pedestrian plan in 2014. One major milestone was the opening of the Hampshire Branch Rail Trail segment of the Seacoast Greenway, which expanded safe and comfortable travel options. Even with this progress, challenges remain. The City recognized the need to revisit the community’s priorities, assess how earlier recommendations are working, and set a clear course for the next five to 10 years of investments.

Solution

Our team partnered with the City of Portsmouth for a yearlong planning process centered on collaboration and listening. The City’s working group helped guide the effort, while targeted outreach created opportunities to hear from residents who might otherwise be left out of planning conversations. In addition to the working group, Kittelson hosted a series of focus groups to connect directly with targeted interest groups, including seniors and students at Portsmouth High School.

The updated plan emphasizes connecting neighborhoods to employment centers, schools, shopping, and recreation. The scope of work included destination mapping, evaluation of the existing bicycle and pedestrian network, development of a design toolkit, and creation of an implementation plan to guide investments over the next five to 10 years. The recommendations aim to be both visionary and practical, combining technical analysis with strategies that the City can advance quickly.