Legislative Update: Sometimes, you lose - May 01, 2026 Windham Independent
Legislative Update - Sometimes, you lose.
Most letters to the editor talk about a win, but sometimes, we should talk about a lost fight.
Take 2023’s HB506, requiring that the Department of Transportation’s plans for Exit 4-A restore the tunnel for the Rail Trail crossing they removed to cut costs.
When the bill got assigned to the Finance committee, I was already aware of the community concerns around the design of the Rail Trail crossing.
During the January 26, 2023 public hearing (one of my first as a new state representative), I asked a lot of questions, and the answers only increased my concerns about the unusual process used to plan the exit, which led to (in my opinion) a very flawed solution.
The bill was assigned to Finance I. So, after the public hearing, I spoke with Finance I Chairman, Peter Leishman (D, Peterborough) to explain how unhappy my community was with the plans and what our specific concerns were, and ask for his support.
Chairman Leishman and the Finance 1 members went above and beyond to help, even organizing a site visit, which substantiated our concerns.
Everyone involved agreed that the design was lacking, but because of the late stage of the construction process and testimony that changing plans at that stage would be expensive, the majority of the Finance Committee did not support the bill, which was then voted down 300-72 by the House.
So, why am I bringing this old bill up?
Because the state and the Federal Highway Administration were sued over it in 2024, then the courts blocked the construction in 2025 until the state reached a settlement to build the tunnel needed to make that Rail Trail crossing safe and effective, and that settlement was finally reached earlier this year.
Had HB506 prevailed in 2023, expensive legal battles and an even more expensive project redesign would have been avoided. Alas, we failed then, so now the work will take more money and more time to be completed… but at least we got the best solution possible for that crossing, and we will reap the benefits of that for decades to go.
Being able to say “I told you so” means little - I wish we’d have gotten it right the first time. But it’s all well when it ends well, and the Rail Trail users should be happy that the tunnel HB506 was asking for will be built.
As a state representative, I am not happy that the Department of Transportation dug their heels in and fought against this much needed tunnel, but we all must learn from our mistakes, so the next time these decisions are made, we get them right the first time.
Please reach out to me at 603 267 4142 (call or text) or at dpmwindham@gmail.com (a quick call or text after emailing me would greatly help) with any questions or concerns.
Daniel Popovici-Muller
Windham State Representative,
Vice Chairman, Finance II Committee
Member, Education Funding Committee