Get there faster: If the I-95 bridge to Maine gets too crowded, you may be able to drive on the shoulder

The next time you’re driving to Maine on I-95, you might be able to use the shoulder.

New Hampshire and Maine are set to begin utilizing “dynamic part-time shoulder use” to help reduce congestion on approximately three miles of I-95, between Exit 5 in New Hampshire and Exit 3 in Maine.

Based on real-time travel conditions, technicians at the N.H. Transportation Systems, Management & Operations in Concord may allow the right shoulder of the road northbound to be used as an open travel lane while Maine will manage the system southbound.

When the system is activated, motorists will see beacons and lane-use signals turn on to indicate when the shoulder is open for travel. There will also be warning signs with flashing beacons at the on-ramps approaching the system to alert merging traffic. Safety patrols will be increased when the system is in use.

Traffic management centers from both states will close the shoulder to traffic when congestion eases or if an emergency situation warrants it, such as a motorist in the breakdown lane.

The two states are collaborating on a project to rehabilitate the Piscataqua River Bridge, which helped prepare for the shoulder system. Green Mountain Communications of Pembroke is the general contractor for this $9.4 million project.