The Weirs Boulevard Bridge Reopens by Thanksgiving and Stays Under Construction Until June

"It's to the point we can't add any more signs."

That was Public Works Director Nate Guerette, speaking to The Laconia Daily Sun a few days after the Weirs Boulevard Bridge closed on September 8. His crews had added signs at the roundabout and moved others so drivers could see them. They also put new signs closer to the work, because so many southbound cars were reaching the site and turning around. GPS apps took longer than expected to register the closure. Once they caught up, they sent drivers along a 5.6-mile detour.

Eight weeks in, the end date is close. Thanksgiving falls on November 26, three weeks from today. The city says the bridge will carry traffic again by then. But the reopening and the finished bridge are two separate milestones, about six months apart. The schedule is built around one priority: getting the boulevard open before spring and summer traffic arrives.

What the city's own report says

The bridge carries Route 3 and Weirs Boulevard across from the Langley Cove development. The city's October 2026 project update went to the City Council on October 26. It describes the job plainly:

"The project has been moving forward quite well. With any project as complicated as this one, there have been several field changes that DPW, LWW and Weaver Brothers (the GC) have handled very well. The project is within budget and on schedule to reopen by Thanksgiving."

The report also says the city has obtained all temporary construction easements. As of that update, nothing on paper stood between the project and its November target. It is still a target, though, and it is the city's.

Two dates, and what each one means

According to the Daily Sun, Guerette described the November milestone as "substantial completion." At that point the bridge allows local traffic from both sides. Final completion is scheduled for June 4, 2027.

The Daily Sun reported City Manager Kirk Beattie's explanation before work started: "We want to get the road opened as soon as we can. We certainly wouldn't want to affect the large volume of traffic on the boulevard during the spring and summer."

The closure ran through The Weirs' quietest stretch of the year. The finishing work is set to wrap up just as the boulevard gets busy again. The winter in between belongs mostly to the people who live and work here year-round, driving over a bridge that carries traffic but is not finished.

Why the bridge had to come out

According to the Daily Sun's report at the start of the project, the bridge had been on the state's red list for several years. A red-listed bridge is safe to drive on, but state inspectors have found at least one major structural problem during its yearly inspection. Guerette told the paper the project had been in the works for three years and that "the bridge is beyond its serviceable life."

The full reconstruction costs about $1.9 million. It is part of the New Hampshire Department of Transportation's 10-year plan, with NHDOT paying 80 percent and the city 20 percent.

Much of the work happens underground, where drivers will never see it. Crews tested the sewer force main and drove steel cofferdam sheets. One sheet system creates a dry workspace, and two act as stream diversions. The ground turned out to be shallow enough that the water main went in sooner than planned. The same shallow ground meant electrical lines along the road to the condos had to be rerouted. The old manholes were tested with sprayed liners, found to be in poor condition, and scheduled for replacement before the new force main goes in.

What will look different when traffic returns

Three changes will be visible when the bridge opens.

1. Two paved lanes. The bridge is being paved for two-lane traffic.
2. Room to walk. Curbs are being extended on both sides to make space for pedestrian pathways. The pathway was added during design. The city's September 2025 update said it was being written into the plans for NHDOT approval.
3. A new turn for the Capri condos. The driveway at 556 Weirs Blvd is being reconfigured to run straight to Alexandra Drive. Guerette said the goal is to prevent collisions from cars turning left onto Weirs Boulevard from both outlets.

Capri residents will feel that third change every day. Anyone who has made the left onto the boulevard there will notice the new pattern the first week.

The three weeks left on the detour

Until the bridge opens, the rules from September still apply. Drivers heading to 556 Weirs Blvd or anywhere south of it can get through. Anyone going as far as 569 Weirs Blvd comes in from the north through the roundabout. Traffic from the south is sent up White Oaks Road. Beattie's advice at the start was to "come in from the north, or through Gilford, if they need to get to a part of the Weirs."

The city prepared White Oaks for the extra load. Just before the closure, parts of the road got a maintenance shim to handle the higher traffic expected from the detour. Guerette also told the Daily Sun that some motorcycles had been squeezing through the south entrance on weekends and evenings. He asked riders to stop, because digging would leave a large hole in the road.

The detour has cost businesses as well as drivers. In September the Daily Sun reported that the NASWA Resort at 1086 Weirs Blvd started getting calls the day after Labor Day from people asking whether it had closed. A "businesses open" sign then went up at the roundabout. The NASWA has since gone into its regular off-season. Its website says the resort closes from mid-October through March.

These places at the north end of The Weirs stay open through the detour and beyond:

• Funspot, 579 Endicott Street North, is on its fall and winter schedule through June 12, 2027. Hours are noon to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday, according to Funspot's hours page. It is closed all day on Thanksgiving, the same week the bridge is scheduled to reopen.
• Alamo Texas BBQ & Tequila Bar, 70 Endicott St. N., lists daily hours of 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• North Water Marine has its main marina at 18 Endicott St. North and handles winter storage and winterization. Its phone line is answered 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Its gas dock at 263 Lakeside Ave is closed for the season.

Where the new walkways lead, for now

The curb extensions will give pedestrians room to cross the bridge. For now, the paths connect only to the boulevard on either side. The WOW Trail runs 4.25 continuous miles from Lakeport to Belmont, and its goal is a nine-mile path. A proposed Phase III would carry it from Lakeport to Weirs Beach. The Daily Sun reported that the proposal faces three hurdles: easements, public opposition and funding.

So the bridge reaching substantial completion in November will not change how people get to The Weirs on foot. It will widen what the boulevard can carry once a connecting path exists. The remaining work on the bridge itself is scheduled to finish on June 4, 2027.

At The Weirs, a road closure becomes a buyer's question surprisingly fast. People ask how a property reaches the boulevard, which way the driveway turns and how the trip changes from season to season. If you own along this stretch of Route 3, or are weighing a property near Langley Cove or the Capri condos, I'm glad to walk through how the new bridge and driveway layout affect access. Lakes Region Homes has followed Weirs Boulevard through many seasons. Let's Connect.