The New Hampshire Department of Transportation (NHDOT) announces the immediate closure of a southbound lane on the Interstate 293 bridge over the Merrimack River in Bedford and Manchester.  This closure is necessary to ensure the safety of motorists and to allow for repairs to bridge rail damaged by a crash on the bridge.  Southbound I-293 traffic on the Merrimack River bridge will be reduced to one lane.  Repair work to the bridge rail may take several days to complete.

Also being closed until repair work on the bridge rail can be completed is the Everett Turnpike northbound ramp to I-293 south.  Motorists heading northbound on the Everett Turnpike seeking to access I-293 south will be directed to Exit 4 or Exit 5 to reverse direction.  Electronic signs will be used to alert motorists to the ramp closure.