Manchester (NH) Airport Access Road now open

[froggie]

Meaghan (my other half) and I discovered this afternoon (as she was dropping me off at MHT) that the new Manchester Airport Access Road, connecting the airport to the Everett Turnpike, is now open.  According to both the UnionLeader and NHDOT, the road was dedicated on Thursday and opened Friday.

The road begins on the Everett Turnpike basically right at the Bedford Toll Plaza, heads east across US 3, the Merrimack River, and NH 3A, then turns north to the airport, ending at a 2-lane roundabout at the existing Airport Rd (just south of where it passes under an airport taxiway).  There is a second roundabout on the road at Commerce Ave, and the access to NH 3A is via an at-grade connector road.  The new road is being named Raymond Wieczorek Drive, in honor of a former Manchester mayor who was instrumental in getting the road built.

I only got to see the northernmost roundabout, but Meaghan drove the rest of it after dropping me off at the airport.  She reported that the roundabouts are confusing, mostly due to poor signage.  There is also no toll entering/exiting the Everett Turnpike to/from the north (towards Manchester).

Google Maps shows most of the completed road, sans the northernmost roundabout connection.  OpenStreetMap fully shows the completed road.

[Ian]

Awesome! Can't wait to see it for myself next summer.

[NE2]

http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/939672-196/as-manchester-airport-access-road-opens-state.html
WTF - there's also no toll to/from the south. So you can bypass the mainline Everett Turnpike toll, which lies between the ramps, by exiting and U-turning.

[froggie]

There must've been something in the enabling legislation for the access road that prevented NHDOT from adding toll booths to/from the south.

[NE2]

Or perhaps the entire thing got federal aid.

[froggie]

They mentioned getting stimulus funds, amongst other funds.  But there are programs by which non-Interstate highways can receive Federal aid and still have tolls.  DE 1 is perhaps the most well-known example of this.

[Janko Dialnice]

In the course of running errands on Friday, I had the chance to certify this road (clinched in both directions) when it was only two hours old. Very nice, but there is a sign placement error to mention.
Coming from the airport, there is a gantry with signs for NH 3-A (1/4 mile) and US 3 (1 mile). The one for 3-A was to the left of that for US 3. If I am not mistaken, shouldn't the sign for the nearest exit be placed on the right?

[Alps]

John, you are correct. Also, yes, you can indeed bypass the toll by exiting and U-turning at 3A. Let's see how many people figure that out and choose to take advantage of it.

[Janko Dialnice]

Why go all the way to NH 3-A? You can get off onto US 3 (a k. a. South River Road), make a left turn, then make the next right ... onto the on-ramp going the other direction.

[NE2]

John, you are correct. Also, yes, you can indeed bypass the toll by exiting and U-turning at 3A. Let's see how many people figure that out and choose to take advantage of it.

Since the local news has reported on it, it's likely that many will.

[hbelkins]

Is this to be the main attraction of the proposed NH meet next year?

[Janko Dialnice]

From what I know, you are correct, H. B. That, and the "Circumferential Stub" (Exit 2 of the Everett Turnpike), as I call it.

[Alps]

I did mean 3, not 3A. I just now wrote up my upcoming Access Road page, which will be featured in my next update - all construction photos, since I haven't been back for the opening.

[yakra]

Is the new Everett Turnpike exit signed as Exit 13?

[Janko Dialnice]

Yes. It is signed as Exit 13.

Also, going northbound, at the Merrimack/Nashua town line, and southbound, just before Exit 13, there are new signs that read "Merrimack - Next 4 Exits".