101-457: (Redirected from Northwestern Expressway ) Northwest Expressway may refer to: Northwest Expressway (Boston) , a section of US 3 Northwest Expressway (Oklahoma City) , a section of SH-3 Northwest Expressway (Baltimore) , Maryland, also known as I-795 Northwest Expressway (Eugene, Oregon) Kennedy Expressway in Chicago, formerly known as
202-671: A business route through Laconia, New Hampshire . Four other special routes may have existed in the past: an alternate and business route between Tyngsborough, Massachusetts , and Concord, New Hampshire , and bypass routes around Concord and Nashua, New Hampshire . U.S. Route 3 Business ( US 3 Bus. ) is a 4.144-mile-long (6.669 km) signed business route running north–south through downtown Laconia, New Hampshire . It runs from US 3 and NH 11 in Belmont north to US 3 in Laconia, along NH 107 and NH 11A . It
303-714: A wrong-way concurrency before exiting at exit 50A onto its own freeway, the Northwest Expressway. Originally built in the 1950s, before the cancelation of the Inner Belt , the US ;3 freeway was to have extended into metro Boston before being truncated to I-95. Consequently, a partially completed cloverleaf interchange connects US 3 to I-95. Exit numbers on the US 3 freeway start at milemarker 72 since Route 3 and US 3 are counted as one highway by MassDOT. The freeway closely parallels Route 3A,
404-516: A zipper lane , in which a movable barrier carves out a reversible high-occupancy vehicle lane (HOV lane) on the non-peak side of the highway during rush hour . Most of the right of way for the Granite Railway in Milton and Quincy was incorporated into the expressway. On August 21, 1969, a train of three runaway locomotives burst out of what is now Cabot Yard , across Frontage Road, and blocked
505-483: A breakdown lane on both the left and right sides of the road, and many interchanges were modernized in what was comically known as "The Big Wide", in reference to Massachusetts' other "Big" construction project (the Big Dig ). The roadbed and bridges were built to support a fourth lane in each travel direction for future expansion. The $ 365-million (equivalent to $ 547 million in 2023 ), 21-mile (34 km) widening project
606-578: A former Y interchange where the canceled Southwest Corridor / I-95 was to meet with I-93 and run concurrent northward into downtown. The southern terminus is at the Y interchange (the " Braintree Split ") at exit 7 in Braintree (the former southern terminus of Route 128 ). A section of the expressway, beginning south of the Savin Hill overpass and ending just before the Braintree Split, utilizes
707-645: A lawsuit designed to force the New Hampshire Department of Transportation (NHDOT) to update the plans to include other transportation options. Under orders from the US District Court, NHDOT and the US Department of Transportation (USDOT) were required to provide an updated environmental review. The Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) filed a lawsuit in February 2006, hoping to force any expansion plans in
808-730: A new alignment, known as the "Northern Expressway" in Massachusetts and crossing into New Hampshire in Salem . The New Hampshire section south of Hooksett would be named the Alan B. Shepard Highway, named for the first American in space , a Derry native. The first part of I-93 completed in New Hampshire opened in Salem from the Massachusetts border to exit 2 ( NH 38 / NH 97 ) in August 1961. The route
909-460: A new connector road to NH 28 , effectively bypassing downtown Derry and relieving traffic along NH 102 at exit 4. Construction began in 2023. Construction of I-93 in Vermont was completed in 1982. It was planned to be built longer if I-91 did not change its designation eastward in the northeastern part of the state. It was the last Interstate to be built in the state. Since 1996,
1010-568: A new interchange in Wilmington. I-93 will be widened from three to four lanes in each direction from exit 35 (formerly 41) to I-495, a distance of approximately 5 miles (8 km), as the first phase in widening I-93 from exit 35 (formerly 41) to the New Hampshire state line. Early estimates of the entire project place the cost at $ 567 million. Initial plans to widen I-93 to a uniform four travel lanes in both directions from Salem to Manchester beginning in 2008 were put on hold due to
1111-987: A northeasterly direction toward Hooksett, interchanging with I-93 . The two routes continue as Hooksett Road, then the Daniel Webster Highway. In Suncook , NH 28 leaves to the northeast, and US 3 proceeds northwest toward Concord on Pembroke Street, becoming Manchester Street when it enters the Concord city limits. After crossing the Merrimack River and interchanging with I-93, US 3 intersects NH 3A (South Main Street), which terminates at its parent route. US 3 traverses downtown Concord as North and South Main streets (briefly overlapping with US 202 and NH 9 ), then follows North State Street to Fisherville Road to Village Street in Penacook before crossing
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#17328525870891212-567: A project to start in 2016, but that project was postponed. In November 2019, the MassDOT announced it would be proceeding with the project in 2020. According to the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) route log, the southern terminus of US 3 is at the junction of Route 2A and Route 3 in Cambridge , which is where Route 2A crosses
1313-521: A stub at exit 7. By 1963, the route had been completed from the end of the Everett Turnpike section, through Concord and north to Tilton (exit 20), and to NH 104 in New Hampton by 1964 (exit 23) and to Plymouth by 1965 (exit 26), and from there gradually northward until it reached the southern end of Franconia Notch . By 1977, I-93 was completed between exit 7 and
1414-594: Is a freeway . The segment in New Hampshire is a free portion of the Everett Turnpike, while the portion in Massachusetts is known as the Northwest Expressway . From where it leaves the Everett Turnpike in Nashua northward, US 3 is generally a two-to-four lane at-grade road, though there are two super-two freeway portions in northern New Hampshire, one on the Laconia Bypass, and one where US 3 and I-93 use
1515-735: Is a former alignment of US 3, used before the Laconia–Gilford bypass was built. Interstate 93 in New Hampshire Interstate ;93 ( I-93 ) is an Interstate Highway in the New England states of Massachusetts , New Hampshire , and Vermont in the United States. Spanning approximately 190 miles (310 km) along a north–south axis, it is one of three primary Interstate Highways located entirely within New England;
1616-410: Is available on the northbound side of the freeway, directly before exit 1. I-93 is four lanes wide in each direction for its first 18.5 miles (29.8 km), until the split with I-293 and New Hampshire Route 101 (NH 101), where I-93 drops to three lanes before adding a fourth and fifth lane back to the freeway after the interchange. The construction to widen I-93 to four lanes each way between
1717-527: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Northwest Expressway (Boston) U.S. Route 3 ( US 3 ) is a United States Numbered Highway running 277.90 miles (447.24 km) from Cambridge, Massachusetts , through New Hampshire , to the Canada–United States border near Third Connecticut Lake , where it connects to Quebec Route 257 . Massachusetts Route 3 connects to
1818-526: Is made up of the O'Neill Tunnel and Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Memorial Bridge , which spans the Charles River. The underground construction of the tunnel system was completed as of October 2006; however, repairs continue to many parts of the tunnel due to water leakage because of improper construction of the slurry walls supporting the O'Neill Tunnel. The former route of the above-ground Artery, so named "the other Green Monster " by Mayor Thomas Menino ,
1919-509: Is the highest-numbered exit along the entire route. I-93 once had only 22 exits prior to the rerouting of I-95 onto Route 128 . Nearly the entire length of I-93 in Massachusetts carries four lanes in each direction. Average daily traffic volumes on I-93 in the state range from 100,000 vehicles at the New Hampshire border and 150,000 vehicles at the southern end at I-95 to over 200,000 vehicles through Braintree and Quincy. I-93 travels just over 131 miles (211 km) in
2020-874: The Braintree Split on the Braintree – Quincy city line, through the Central Artery in Downtown Boston before each route splits off beyond the Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Memorial Bridge . The portion of highway between the Braintree Split and the Central Artery is named the "Southeast Expressway", while the portion from Boston to the New Hampshire state line is named the "Northern Expressway". I-93 ends in Saint Johnsbury, Vermont , at I-91. For most of its length, I-93 indirectly parallels US 3 . In New Hampshire,
2121-515: The Central Artery , US 1 , and the planned route of the Inner Belt Expressway (proposed I-695) between 1965 and 1973. Because it was already under construction, the highway was granted an exception to the moratorium on highway expansion inside Route 128 that was announced in 1970. I-93 was originally planned with a southern terminus in Cambridge (just north of Boston), where it
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#17328525870892222-594: The Charles River , at an interchange with Massachusetts Avenue ( Route 2A ). The road continues as southbound Route 3 toward Downtown Boston , while northbound US 3 heads west, then north along the river toward Harvard University , joining with Route 2 along the way. It runs along the north bank of the Charles River , opposite Soldiers Field Road in Allston along this stretch. Passing south of Harvard Square , US 3 and Route 2 transition onto
2323-600: The Contoocook River into Boscawen . US 3 travels north through Boscawen, briefly overlapping with US 4 . The highway parallels the Merrimack River north into Franklin , where the highway meets NH 11 . US 3 joins NH 11 and turns east; NH 3A also resumes at this intersection, continuing north. US 3 and NH 11 briefly form a three-route concurrency with NH 127 in Franklin, then pass through Tilton , crossing NH 132 and passing
2424-477: The Daniel Webster Highway to Meredith at the northern end of Meredith Bay on Lake Winnipesaukee . In Meredith, US 3 intersects the northern terminus of NH 106, then joins NH 25 and continues north past Squam Lake into Holderness , passing the western terminuses of NH 25B and NH 113 . Through Holderness, US 3 and NH 25 gradually turn west, then southwest, passing
2525-534: The Daniel Webster Highway . (Some locals erroneously refer to the Everett Turnpike from exit 7 through the I-293 interchange as US 3 and refer to the actual US 3 only as the Daniel Webster Highway or "Old Route 3".) US 3 continues north through the town of Merrimack and into Bedford , where it becomes South River Road. The highway parallels I-293 until it turns east in Manchester and then crosses
2626-691: The Everett Turnpike from Hooksett to Concord, and as the Styles Bridges Highway, after the US politician , from Concord to the Vermont line. This section of roadway was constructed between 1961 and 1977. Between the northern end of I-293 in Hooksett and the beginning of I-89 in Bow , I-93 also carries the northern end of the Everett Turnpike. There is one toll booth along this section, at exit 11 in Hooksett;
2727-465: The Everett Turnpike , running on the freeway for 6.7 miles (10.8 km) along the western side of the city. US 3 leaves the Everett Turnpike at exit 7E, crosses New Hampshire Route 101A (NH 101A) and turns northeast for approximately 1.5 miles (2.4 km) along a segment known as the Henri Burque Highway, before turning north onto Concord Street, which soon becomes known as
2828-647: The Federal Highway Administration to add tolls to I-93 at the Massachusetts–New Hampshire border. The new toll facility was to be located in Salem, approximately 0.5 miles (0.8 km) north of the state line, and would cost travelers $ 2.00 per vehicle. The proposal faced opposition from state legislators in both states, who claimed the tolls would cause severe congestion in the area and lead to an economic burden to local residents. Opponents included US senator Scott Brown . The proposal
2929-676: The Franconia Notch Parkway. The route serves as a major local arterial, connecting many of the cities of the densely populated Merrimack Valley . North of the White Mountains , the route serves as one of the only north–south roads connecting the communities of the Great North Woods Region and has New Hampshire's only border crossing between the US and Canada. US 3 begins in the south along Memorial Drive in Cambridge , along
3030-772: The Fresh Pond Parkway and join Route ;16 . Near Alewife station , Route 2 splits off as a freeway to the west (Concord Turnpike), while US 3 and Route 16 stay on the Alewife Brook Parkway . Shortly thereafter, US 3 splits from the parkway (which continues as Route 16) and joins Route 2A (Massachusetts Avenue) westbound, crossing into Arlington . In the center of town, US 3 and Route 2A split from Massachusetts Avenue and overlap briefly with Route 60 before continuing along Mystic Street. Route 2A splits from US 3 just to
3131-480: The Great North Woods Region , while I-93 runs to the northwest. The final town along I-93 in New Hampshire is Littleton, served by four exits. Many motorist services are available at exit 42. After passing through town, it crosses the Connecticut River into Vermont . The last exit along I-93 is exit 44 for Monroe , through which a rest area and welcome center is accessible to travelers on both sides of
Northwest Expressway - Misplaced Pages Continue
3232-469: The Greater Boston area. After a brief concurrency with Interstate 95 (I-95) and Route 128 , the route follows its own freeway northwest, bypassing Lowell and entering New Hampshire at Nashua , becoming the Everett Turnpike . In New Hampshire, current and former parts of US 3 are known as the Daniel Webster Highway . From Burlington, Massachusetts, to Nashua, New Hampshire, US 3
3333-590: The Lakes Region of New Hampshire and then makes its way north through the heart of the White Mountains Region . I-93 passes through Franconia Notch State Park as a two-lane freeway (one lane in each direction) with a 45-mile-per-hour (72 km/h) speed limit, designed to reduce I-93's impact on Franconia Notch. For the trip through Franconia Notch, I-93 and US 3 run concurrently. Beyond Franconia Notch State Park, US 3 heads northeastward through
3434-812: The Massachusetts Highway Department (MassHighway) has studied rebuilding the interchange of I-93 and I-95 in Woburn along the border with Stoneham and Reading . The project was expected to start in early 2017 and cost $ 267 million but continued community opposition has postponed the project indefinitely. A project to upgrade the interchange of I-93 and I-95 in Canton is also proposed. An additional 2010 proposal to upgrade Route 24 , running southwards from I-93 exit 4 in Randolph to I-195 near Fall River , has also been put off due to studies showing
3535-476: The Merrimack River on Queen City Avenue, just after its intersection with I-293/ NH 3A and NH 114A . US 3 and NH 3A are signed in a wrong-way concurrency for approximately 0.6 miles (0.97 km) before US 3 turns north onto Elm Street toward downtown Manchester. After approximately 2.2 miles (3.5 km), US 3 turns east onto Webster Street, then joins NH 28 to proceed in
3636-650: The Northeast Kingdom of Vermont. A rest area and welcome center is located along the northbound side of the highway for travelers entering from New Hampshire. The final three miles (4.8 km) of the Interstate actually veer to the southwest while traveling northbound. Vehicles bound for Canada can use northbound I-91 to reach the Derby Line–Stanstead Border Crossing at that Interstate's end, and northwards into Canada as an autoroute freeway into
3737-555: The O'Neill Tunnel to travel underneath the city and then use the Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Memorial Bridge to cross the Charles River . Two exits are located in the tunnel, where the speed limit is 45 mph (72 km/h). Route 3 leaves the Artery just before the Zakim bridge via exit 18 (formerly 26), and US 1 leaves the Artery just after the bridge, via exit 19 (formerly 27) (no southbound access). From Boston through
3838-702: The Pittsburg–Chartierville Border Crossing , where the road crosses into Chartierville, Quebec , and becomes Quebec Route 257 . In total, US 3 runs along the Connecticut River and its source lakes for approximately 70 miles (110 km). Sections of US 3 in Colebrook are named after Scott E. Phillips and Leslie G. Lord, members of the New Hampshire State Police killed in the line of duty on August 19, 1997 . Before
3939-454: The mileage-based exit numbering system was implemented in 2021, several numbers were skipped in and near Boston. Several exits were removed from I-93 to address traffic problems in addition to converting the Central Artery from 6 to 8 to 10 lanes, by reducing the combined number of on- and offramps from 27 to 14. Exit 46 (formerly 48) in Methuen, just before the New Hampshire state line,
4040-520: The state line into Nashua, New Hampshire . The freeway continues north as the Everett Turnpike . The Burlington to Tyngsborough area maintains a 501(c)(6) nonprofit representative entity known as the Middlesex 3 Coalition and its affiliate agency the Middlesex 3 TMA, which provides collaborative support to businesses and individuals within the jurisdiction to build consensus on transportation and developmental needs. US 3 passes through most of
4141-594: The Arlington–Somerville border and proceeding into Cambridge toward Union Square, Somerville. A 1962 plan called for Route 2 and US 3 to converge at Alewife Brook Parkway with a longer stretch of new highway for US 3 paralleling Lowell Street in Lexington and Summer Street in Arlington. Exit numbers along the Northwest Expressway section in Massachusetts were to be changed to mileage based numbers under
Northwest Expressway - Misplaced Pages Continue
4242-557: The Canadian province of Quebec . The portion of I-93 in Vermont parallels both US 2 and Vermont Route 18 (VT 18). The Southeast Expressway was constructed between 1954 and 1959, at the same time the John F. Fitzgerald Expressway (Central Artery) was built. Its northern terminus is at exit 15 (southbound) or 15B (northbound) (former exit 18; Frontage Road) in South Boston ,
4343-442: The Charles along the Harvard Bridge (also known as the Massachusetts Avenue Bridge). This is a change from AASHTO's 1989 Route Log which placed the terminus at US 20 in Boston, where Route 2 currently meets US 20 after crossing the Charles River at the Boston University Bridge . This was where US 3 met US 1 until that highway was rerouted in 1971. The original northern terminus of US 3 (in 1926)
4444-421: The Everett Turnpike in Hooksett , completing the Alan B. Shepard Highway segment of I-93 and closing the gap that had stood for 15 years. The Everett Turnpike section had been built in 1957 and incorporated into I-93 in 1958. After the completion of the Alan B. Shepard Highway portion, the portion concurrent with NH 101 was widened to eight lanes, while the Everett Turnpike section from Hooksett to Concord
4545-565: The Franconia Notch Parkway and is a rare section of Interstate Highway with only one lane in each direction. US 3 separates from I-93 at exit 35, shortly north of the northern park boundary in Franconia . From there, NH 141 branches northwest and US 3 heads north and east toward Twin Mountain and a junction with US 302 . This portion of the road is noted for fairly frequent moose sightings, especially during sunrise and sunset when moose are particularly active. Heading north from Twin Mountain, US 3 passes through
4646-431: The Granite State, about two-thirds of the highway's total distance. Serving as the main Interstate route in New Hampshire, it connects the state capital, Concord , and its largest city, Manchester . Beyond Concord are the towns of Tilton , Plymouth , and Littleton . I-93 is designated as the Alan B. Shepard Highway, from the Massachusetts line to Hooksett (just north of Manchester at the northern terminus of I-293), as
4747-426: The Interstate, using rapid bridge replacement methods. The $ 98.1-million (equivalent to $ 134 million in 2023 ) project replaced bridges originally built in 1957 with a set of prefabricated modular concrete bridges in a series of weekend roadway closures. Traffic was diverted into a series of crossover lanes during construction. The main part of the project took place each weekend from June through August 2011, with
4848-417: The Massachusetts line and moving northward to Manchester. The project was designed with an intermodal transit bent; new or improved park and ride facilities were deployed at exits 1, 3, and 5, and a widened median strip was designed to accommodate a planned commuter rail service between Boston and Manchester. As a way to help defray the costs of the expansion, in early 2010, NHDOT made a formal request to
4949-454: The Massachusetts–New Hampshire border and its junction with I-293 and NH 101 was fully complete as of April 2021. I-93 and NH 101 run concurrently for about one mile (1.6 km) before NH 101 exits to the east as its own freeway, serving Portsmouth and the Seacoast Region. I-93 maintains three lanes of traffic in each direction until the junction with I-89, then is a four-lane freeway through most of its journey northward, with
5050-482: The Northwest Expressway [REDACTED] Topics referred to by the same term This disambiguation page lists articles about roads and streets with the same name. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Northwest_Expressway&oldid=534253864 " Category : Road disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description
5151-629: The adjacent town of Derry were in final planning stages as of June 2020. Construction of exit 4A, to be located approximately a mile (1.6 km) north of exit 4 in Londonderry, began in 2022 and is scheduled to be completed in fall 2024. The interchange is part of a larger series of road improvements expected to be completed in 2026. Massachusetts converted from sequential to distance-based exit numbering on I-93 in mid-2021. New Hampshire continues to use sequential exit numbering on all of its freeways except at interstate-to-interstate interchanges, which are usually unnumbered (exit 15E to I-393
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#17328525870895252-425: The area to include the restoration of commuter rail service between Manchester and Boston. Despite the suit, the exit 1 interchange construction was allowed to undergo upgrading and expansion; other associated projects related to the widening, chiefly around exits 3 and 5, were also eventually allowed to proceed. The whole set of projects were eventually allowed to move forward following an agreement between
5353-460: The beltway around Boston, while I-95 south runs by itself southwest through Boston's southwestern suburbs toward Rhode Island . The southernmost three miles (4.8 km) of I-93 run east through Boston's southern suburbs, passing through Canton and Randolph . In Randolph, I-93 meets the northern end of Route 24 (Fall River Expressway/AMVETS Memorial Highway) at exit 4. I-93 continues east into Braintree , interchanging with Route 3 ,
5454-412: The city of Boston over the Neponset River . After the Massachusetts Avenue connector exit, the highway officially becomes the John F. Fitzgerald Expressway , also known as the Central Artery , and passes beneath Downtown Boston. A major intersection with the Massachusetts Turnpike /I-90 (exit 16, formerly 20) takes place just south of Downtown Boston. After the massive interchange, motorists use
5555-413: The cost of the project being very high. MassDOT and its predecessor MassHighway have planned on widening I-93 to a uniform four travel lanes in both directions from the lane drop near exit 35 (formerly 41) in Wilmington to the New Hampshire border since the beginning of the 2000s. The first section of widening will be done as part of the I-93 Tri-Town Interchange Project. The project will construct
5656-489: The establishment of the U.S. Numbered Highway System, the section of US 3 and Route 3 from Orleans, Massachusetts , to Colebrook, New Hampshire , was part of the New England road marking system as New England Route 6 . It was replaced in its entirety with the establishment of US 3 and Route 3 in 1926. US 3 in Massachusetts closely follows the route of the early 19th-century Middlesex Canal and Middlesex Turnpike . The modern Northwest Expressway
5757-418: The exception of the July 4 holiday weekend. One or two bridges were replaced each weekend during the construction time frame. The project was part of the commonwealth's Accelerated Bridge Program. Off exit 43 (formerly 46) in Methuen , the surface level traffic circle was rebuilt as part of an overall infrastructure improvement that also included constructing a new bridge carrying the Interstate over
5858-425: The exits renumbered. The parkway opened in June 1988, replacing Route 3, and grade crossings were replaced by an overpass. Begun in 2006 and continuing until 2021, the portion between the state border and the I-293 southern terminus was widened to eight lanes; this necessitated the rebuilding and/or relocation of several interchanges. An additional exit has been proposed near milemarker 13 that would include
5959-420: The expressway was a key component of the "Master Plan Highway Plan for Metropolitan Boston". The highway would have traveled through Lexington, Arlington, Medford, Somerville, and Cambridge, before linking with the Inner Belt Expressway. The original plan called for US 3 and Route 2 to link up at the Lexington–Arlington border and continue southeasterly, crossing Route 16/Mystic Valley Parkway at
6060-432: The highway. In 2013, a bill was signed by governor Maggie Hassan to raise the speed limit on I-93 to 70 mph (110 km/h) from milemarker 45 to the Vermont border, with the exception of the Franconia Notch Parkway. The new limit took effect on January 1, 2014. I-93 runs for 11 miles (18 km) in Vermont , with one numbered exit in the state before ending at the interchange with I-91 in St. Johnsbury in
6161-410: The historic alignment of US 3, along its entire 19-mile (31 km) length from Burlington to the New Hampshire state border. It passes through Billerica and into Chelmsford , where it connects with I-495 and the Lowell Connector , a freeway spur into downtown Lowell . Continuing north, the freeway briefly enters Lowell, then passes through North Chelmsford and Tyngsborough before crossing
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#17328525870896262-423: The local road, reconstructing on- and offramps to the highway, and realigning the Interstate itself. As originally envisioned by the federal government, I-93 would have followed the route of present US 3 / Northwest Expressway / Everett Turnpike from Boston to Concord . By 1956, the two states had drawn up new plans for I-93 to the east, bypassing the tolled Everett Turnpike from Manchester southward along
6363-473: The major freeway linking Boston to Cape Cod , at exit 7 (known locally as the " Braintree Split "). Route 3 north joins I-93 and US 1, and the highway turns north toward Boston. These first seven miles (11 km) of I-93 follow what was formerly part of Route 128 before it was truncated at the I-95/I-93 junction. Upon turning northward, the highway is known as the Southeast Expressway, passing through Quincy and Milton before crossing into
6464-420: The mid-1970s, I-93 had outgrown its capacity and had begun to deteriorate due to a lack of maintenance. State Transportation Secretary Frederick P. Salvucci , aware of the issues surrounding the elevated roadway, proposed a plan conceived in the early 1970s by the Boston Transportation Planning Review to replace the rusting elevated six-lane Central Artery with a new, more efficient underground roadway. This plan
6565-399: The new I-93 segment was not without serious issues: a lengthy federal environmental review pushed the start of construction back from approximately 1990, causing many inflationary increases, while funding for the project was the subject of several political battles between President Ronald Reagan and Representative Tip O'Neill . Major construction on the new roadway was done while maintaining
6666-519: The new traffic patterns opening in various stages during 2016 and 2017. On I-93 northbound, the exit was split into 43A (formerly 46A) for Route 110 and Route 113 eastbound, and 43B (formerly 46B) for Route 110 and Route 113 westbound. I-93 then interchanges with the western end of Route 213 , a connector between I-93 and I-495. I-93 then crosses into New Hampshire after about one mile (1.6 km). In all, I-93 has 46 (formerly 48) numbered exits in Massachusetts, although, before
6767-441: The north. US 3 continues through parts of Winchester and Woburn without any major intersections before entering Burlington and interchanging with I-95 and Route 128 (Yankee Division Highway) at exit 51A. US 3 joins the freeway to connect with the Northwest Expressway, while its historic surface alignment continues as Route 3A . US 3 runs along 1.6 miles (2.6 km) of I-95 (Route 128) in
6868-459: The northbound side between 3:00 pm and 7:00 pm to align with commuting hours. However, on most busy days, this fails to prevent traffic delays. The Massachusetts State Police has expressed displeasure with this arrangement, citing that traffic in the breakdown lanes interferes with the ability of emergency vehicles to respond to accidents. In August 2010, in Medford , a 25-by-7-foot (7.6 m × 2.1 m) section of bridge deck on
6969-421: The northbound side of the highway. The Central Artery , officially the John F. Fitzgerald Expressway, was a section of highway in Downtown Boston constructed in the 1950s and was originally designed as a fully elevated highway . This new highway was greatly disliked by the citizens of the city because it cut the heart of the city in half; cast long, dreary shadows; and was an eyesore to the community. Because of
7070-429: The northbound side partially collapsed due to age-related structural fatigue. The collapse forced the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) to evaluate the remaining bridges along the corridor, eventually deciding to replace several bridges along the highway in a plan called 93 Fast 14. MassDOT set in motion a plan to replace the superstructure and concrete decks on 14 overpass bridges along that section of
7171-420: The notch prevented it being built. As a compromise the Franconia Notch Parkway, a super-two roadway with 45-mile-per-hour (72 km/h) speed limit, was completed in June 1988, replacing US 3. Originally, this road was not included in I-93, as it had its own exit numbers and was signed "TO I-93", though, later, the parkway was officially added to the Interstate System despite the substandard conditions and
7272-428: The old roadway, a step that also greatly increased the cost of the project. The original Charles River crossing, named Scheme Z, was the object of great public outcry similar to that of the building of the original highway. The outcry eventually led to the replacement of Scheme Z with a newer, more sleek cable-stayed bridge and complementing exit for Cambridge , increasing the cost even more. In Downtown Boston, I-93
7373-577: The only exception being the Franconia Notch section. In the state capital of Concord, I-393 heads directly east (cosigned with eastbound US 4 and US 202 ), providing another route to the Seacoast Region. Westbound US 4 joins I-93 and runs concurrently with it, crossing the Merrimack River again, until exit 17 for Penacook , about five miles (8.0 km) farther north, before exiting westward. Continuing north, I-93 traverses
7474-461: The other two are I-89 and I-91 . The largest cities along the route are Boston , and Manchester, New Hampshire ; it also travels through the New Hampshire state capital of Concord . I-93 begins at an interchange with I-95 , US Route 1 (US 1) and Route 128 in Canton, Massachusetts . It travels concurrently with US 1 beginning in Canton, and, with Route 3 beginning at
7575-509: The public outcry, Governor John A. Volpe ordered the southern half of the highway redesigned so that it was underground; this section became known as the Dewey Square Tunnel . With the cancelation of the highway projects leading into the city in 1972 by Governor Francis Sargent , the Central Artery gained the designation of I-93 in 1974. It has also carried the local highway designations of US 1 (since 1989) and Route 3 . By
7676-569: The rest of Massachusetts, Concord, New Hampshire , appears as the control city on northbound overhead signs. The Artery ends as I-93 continues north out of the city. I-93 continues through the northern suburbs of Boston, coming to a second interchange with I-95 and Route 128, which run concurrently. Travelers going north can either change over to I-95 north to eventually reach Maine or remain on I-93 toward New Hampshire. Farther north, in Andover , I-93 meets I-495 , providing access to Worcester to
7777-477: The southbound bridge, NHDOT added a third lane to ease congestion. The bridges were completed in 2014. More plans were announced in 2014 that the Hooksett rest areas would be rebuilt. The new rest areas feature a 14-pump Irving Oil gas station, a new New Hampshire liquor and wine outlet, and a few restaurants and shops. The project was completed in 2015. In Londonderry , a new interchange on I-93 connecting to
7878-594: The southern end of NH 175 and then reaching the northern end of NH 132 in Ashland . From Ashland to North Woodstock , US 3 proceeds north, roughly paralleling I-93 in the Pemigewasset River valley. Along this stretch it passes through the towns of Plymouth (NH 25 splits from US 3 near I-93 in Plymouth, which also marks the true northern terminus of NH 3A), West Campton (where it meets
7979-494: The southern terminus of NH 145 . Still following the Connecticut River north, US 3 passes through portions of Stewartstown and Clarksville . In Stewartstown, the road turns more directly east (still following the Connecticut River, which is no longer a boundary), before resuming a northeasterly direction through Pittsburg . Its last major intersection is at the northern terminus of NH 145. US 3 continues north for another 22 miles (35 km), eventually reaching
8080-478: The southern terminus of US 3 in Cambridge and continues south to Cape Cod . Though it shares a number, it has never been part of US 3. Both routes, which connect end-to-end, are treated as a single 91.3-mile (146.9 km) state highway by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT). From Cambridge to Burlington , US 3 is routed on surface streets through the dense suburbs in
8181-418: The southernmost 20 miles (32 km) of I-93 to four lanes in each direction, from the existing two lanes in each direction. In addition, all five interchanges along this length would be upgraded to accommodate larger amounts of traffic, including the replacement of many aging bridges. According to plans filed by the state with USDOT, the project was scheduled to run from 2009 through 2016, with work starting at
8282-466: The southwest and New Hampshire's Seacoast Region to the northeast. Just south of the state line, I-93 crosses the Merrimack River into Methuen , where it intersects Route 110 and Route 113 at exit 43 (formerly 46) just north of the river crossing. Between 2014 and 2018, the Route ;110/Route 113 junction beneath I-93 was converted from a rotary to a partial cloverleaf , with
8383-548: The state and the CLF that removed the group's opposition to construction which does not pose a threat to the environment. As part of the 2009 stimulus package , New Hampshire was set to receive several million dollars in highway construction funds. One of the projects was the widening of a portion of I-93 between the Massachusetts border and Manchester. Bidding was set to begin in February 2009, with construction slated to begin in late 2009 or early 2010. The plans called for NHDOT to widen
8484-517: The state's major cities and towns and is the only highway to extend from the Massachusetts state border in the south to the Canadian border in the north. Running for 242 miles (389 km) in New Hampshire, US 3 is by far the longest signed highway in the state. For much of its routing, US 3 closely parallels I-93, serving as a local route to the freeway. US 3 crosses the state border into Nashua and immediately becomes concurrent with
8585-453: The toll for passenger cars is $ 1.00 ($ 0.50 at the ramp toll booth). This is the only toll collected along the entire length of the highway. I-93 in New Hampshire is also notable for having state liquor stores serve as rest areas, which are passed just after the toll plaza, traveling north. There are separate stores on both sides of the Interstate for travelers in each direction. I-93 enters New Hampshire at Salem . A rest area and welcome center
8686-407: The two highways have several interchanges with each other, as well as a concurrency through Franconia Notch State Park . I-93's southern terminus is at exit 26 (formerly exit 12) of I-95 in Canton , cosigned with US 1 north. At this junction, I-95 north heads to the northwest (cosigned with US 1 south, as well as Route 128 , which begins at the interchange), to serve as
8787-403: The village of Carroll , where NH 115 branches to the northeast and US 3 bears to the northwest and the town of Whitefield . In the center of Whitefield, NH 142 branches to the northwest and NH 116 crosses, running roughly southwest to northeast. US 3 continues north to Lancaster , where it joins US 2 in the town center, and where NH 135 branches off to
8888-429: The west. After US 2 leaves to the west, US 3 continues north, roughly paralleling the course of the Connecticut River (which also forms the border with Vermont ), through Northumberland and Groveton , where NH 110 ends. North of Groveton, US 3 continues to follow the river, through Stratford , North Stratford , and Columbia , until it reaches Colebrook , where it crosses NH 26 and meets
8989-542: The western end of NH 140 . Continuing northeast past Lake Winnisquam , US 3 and NH 11 reach Laconia and turn onto the Laconia– Gilford Bypass, intersecting with NH 106 , NH 107 , and NH 11A . At the northern end of the bypass, US 3 and NH 11 split after a 17.3-mile (27.8 km) overlap, with the U.S. Route continuing north on Lake Street to Weirs Beach and an intersection with NH 11B . US 3 continues north as
9090-464: The western end of NH 49 , the principal access road to Waterville Valley ), Thornton , and Woodstock . In North Woodstock , US 3 crosses NH 112 (known to the east as the Kancamagus Highway ). Continuing north, US 3 joins with I-93 as it passes through Franconia Notch State Park , one of the more scenic drives in the White Mountains . This stretch of freeway is known as
9191-513: Was at Colebrook, New Hampshire , but the highway was extended to West Stewartstown in 1928 and to Pittsburg in 1937. Colebrook was the northern terminus again from 1939 to 1940. Since 1940, the highway has run through Pittsburg to the Pittsburg–Chartierville Border Crossing . Although MassDOT inventories Route 3 and US 3 as one continuous route, this table includes the mileage only for US 3 starting from its southern terminus in Cambridge. US 3 has one existing special route ,
9292-461: Was begun near Route 110 in Lowell before World War II . In the 1950s, it was extended south to Route 128 (later overlapped by I-95), and, by the 1960s, it was completed north from Chelmsford to New Hampshire. By 2005, the chronically congested four-lane road, largely with antiquated ramps around Lowell, was widened to six lanes (as it had been in Nashua, New Hampshire, a few years prior) with
9393-520: Was completed in 2005 from Burlington to the New Hampshire border. The final section of the expressway was planned for inner suburban towns northwest of Boston . The expressway was to supply a new route for US 3, between Route 128 and the canceled I-695 (Inner Belt). This was one of the expressway projects canceled in Governor Francis Sargent 's 1970 moratorium on expressway construction within Route 128. The latter section of
9494-485: Was eventually dropped in favor of issuing new state bonds to pay for expansion. The new policy was laid out by Transportation Commissioner George Campbell after reviewing the proposal and receiving a promise from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation that it would not be enacting a similar toll on the Massachusetts side of the border. Plans were announced in 2012 that I-93 would receive new northbound and southbound bridges over I-89 in Bow . To reduce traffic on
9595-550: Was extended gradually northward over the next several years, reaching exit 3 ( NH 111 ) by the end of 1961, as well as a second segment from the I-293/NH ;101 west interchange to exit 7 (NH 101 east) at the same time. The two segments were connected in late 1962. This left a gap in I-93, as traffic was directed along NH 101 West and the Everett Turnpike, while the southern segment of I-93 continued on and ended in
9696-431: Was later removed from this section of road in 1997) to terminate at I-95 in Canton. In an attempt to alleviate rush-hour traffic jams, travel in the breakdown lane of I-93 is permitted between exit 35 (formerly 41) and exit 46 (formerly 43), where the highway currently has three lanes in each direction. This extra travel is permitted on the southbound side on weekdays between 6:00 am and 10:00 am and on
9797-548: Was merged with a long-standing proposal to build a third harbor tunnel to alleviate congestion in the Sumner and Callahan tunnels to East Boston ; the new plan became known as the Central Artery/Tunnel Project or the Big Dig . These new roadways were built during a 12-year period from 1994 to early 2006. The massive project became the largest urban construction project ever undertaken in US history. Construction on
9898-610: Was opened to general traffic. Hazardous cargos are prohibited from I-93 in Boston over safety issues in the tunnels; these cargos must exit at either the Leverett Circle connector when traveling southbound or at the Massachusetts Avenue exit when traveling northbound. The Northern Expressway was constructed from Medford to the New Hampshire border between 1956 and 1963. It was extended through Somerville and Charlestown to
9999-750: Was replaced mostly by open space known formally as the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway . Additional improvements were done in the South Bay section of the highway: the I-90/I-93 interchange was completely redesigned, a new HOV lane extending from the zipper lane in Quincy was added and the South Boston Haul road that was constructed to bypass truck traffic around residential streets in the South End
10100-642: Was to meet the Inner Belt (I-695). However, when that route was canceled and the I-95 section into Boston was canceled and rerouted onto Route 128 in the mid-1970s, I-93 was extended an additional 18 miles (29 km) southward down the Central Artery (which had been signed as a concurrency of I-95 and Route 3 before I-95 was rerouted) and the Southeast Expressway (what was then just Route 3) from Boston to Braintree and then west along Route 128 (which
10201-407: Was widened to six lanes in 1978. A small segment was also completed from the northern end of Franconia Notch to Littleton prior to 1984, with the final stretch from Littleton to the Vermont border completed by 1984. This left a gap through Franconia Notch, with traffic directed along US 3 between the two sections. For years, debates over how to minimize environmental impact on the road through
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