VT->ME->CT->VT roadtrip

[shadyjay]

August 17-25, I took quite the roadtrip as part of a vacation from Vermont to Maine, then to Connecticut, then back to Vermont. 

August 17:
I-89 South from VT Exit 9 to NH I-93....I-93 North to Exit 15....I-393 East to US 4....US 4 East to Spaulding Turnpike....Spaulding Turnpike South to Portsmouth Circle...I-95 North to Kittery/Maine welcome center....US 1 North to York....I-95 Maine Tpke North to Exit 19.....ME 9/109 East to Wells....US 1 to Wells Beach

August 21:
US 1 to ME 9/109 East to Maine Turnpike .... I-95 South to NH Exit 5.... Spaulding Turnpike North to Exit 1.... Stop at Walmart .... Spaulding Turnpike South to I-95 ..... I-95 South to MA Exit 58..... I-495 South to Mass Pike..... Mass Pike West to Exit 10..... I-395 South to Conn Turnpike I-95 Exit 69 ..... CT 9 North to Exit 3.  Later that day.... Conn Tpke North to I-95 North Exit 86.  Reverse, I-95 South to Conn Tpke South to CT 9 North to Exit 3.

August 25:
I-95 Conn Tpke North from Exit 65 to Exit 66 (with stop at Welcome Center for CT map)..... CT 9 North to Exit 20 ..... I-91 North to VT Exit 10N..... I-89 North to Exit 3..... VT 107 West to VT 100 North to home.


Observations/comments/notes:

-- I-89 through VT & NH was fairly quiet.  All work in West Lebanon NH at Exit 20 is complete.  Traffic congestion getting onto I-93 North   
   due to heavy traffic and I-93 bridge over I-89 construction.  I-93 NB congested through Concord.
-- Spaulding Turnpike construction in Newington and Dover.  Lots of clearing taking place.  New bridge over Little Bay well under
    construction.   Evidence of the median u-turn exits is gone. 
-- Congestion on I-95 NB from Portsmouth Circle, across Piscataqua Bridge, into Maine. 
-- The motorcyclist following us needed gas so we got off at the Kittery welcome center on I-95, cut through the back of the area, and onto   
    US 1 North.  This saved us several miles of congestion approaching the York tolls.
--  Noticed the median safety reminders on the Maine Turnpike are gone.  These used to say messages such as "ARE YOUR TIRES SAFE?"
--  Vacation in Wells Beach was AWESOME!  Highly recommend its beach.  Nice soft sand, clean water, a great overall time!
--  Stopped at the Walmart in Newington NH to search for the Rand McNally 2014 atlas.  Walmart stop #3 in the past week.  No dice.
--  Absolutely no traffic delay SB at the Hampton Tolls on I-95.  My first time passing through it since express EZ-Pass was built.
--  I-495 bridges in Mass did a number on my front end.  That's a long story.
--  Not much has changed on I-495 since my last trips on it over the years.  Did notice many oddball reassurance shields.
--  Mass Pike was fairly quiet.  Ramp from Exit 10 onto I-290 was closed.  Didn't matter - I took I-395.
--  All I-395 Mass signage was replaced in recent years.  Primary signs are now all mounted overhead. 
--  Stopped at rebuilt Plainfield Service Area on I-395 SB.  Signage for this area still says "REST AREA - FUEL (MOBIL logo)".  NB signage
     says "REST AREA - GAS/FOOD" as it has all these years.  Really nice job with the rebuild.  Dunkin' Donuts and Subway were added.
--  Montville Service Area is still closed, but it is nearing completion.
--  Most likely my last trip on I-395 with the present exit numbers.  They are to change starting next year as signs are going to be replaced.
--  I-95 Conn Tpke SB replacement of the Flat Rock Road bridge.  Traffic was backed up a mile at 9pm.  Doubtful that the piers for the new 
    bridge will be set back far enough to accomodate a future 3rd lane, which is badly needed.
--  I-95 Conn Tpke NB at Exit 76:  one old school Mass Pike trailblazer remains.
--  I-95 Conn Tpke NB welcome center just past Exit 65 - stopped for a state map.
--  Stopped at Walmart in Old Saybrook - strike 3 on the atlas.
--  Stopped at Walmart in Cromwell - 4th time was the charm! 
--  CT 9 NB has new mile markers between Exits 7 & 10.  Most other mile markers virtually unreadable.  A common problem on CT highways.
--  I-91 NB on Sunday 8/25 was backed up for a mile on approach to Exit 29.  Very common.
--  I-91 Mass sign replacement in Springfield:  still only regulatory and reassurance shields replaced.  New overhead assembly foundations 
     poured, though nothing beyond that. 
--  Pretty quiet from there, northward to Vermont.

Issues with my Jeep caused it to death wobble several times on I-91.  It's going into the shop tomorrow to try to diagnose this problem once and for all.  Outside of that, a great trip.  No photos this time, though.

[hotdogPi]

Yes, I-495 does have a lot of strange shields.

I have never been in Vermont though.

[deathtopumpkins]

-- The motorcyclist following us needed gas so we got off at the Kittery welcome center on I-95, cut through the back of the area, and onto US 1 North.  This saved us several miles of congestion approaching the York tolls.

I love that maneuver right there. Can be quite a lifesaver.
Always use the truck side rather than the car side to cut through though. The car side tends to be completely jammed with people sitting, waiting for parking spots to open up rather than circling around to the other, almost completely empty side.

[shadyjay]

-- The motorcyclist following us needed gas so we got off at the Kittery welcome center on I-95, cut through the back of the area, and onto US 1 North.  This saved us several miles of congestion approaching the York tolls.

I love that maneuver right there. Can be quite a lifesaver.
Always use the truck side rather than the car side to cut through though. The car side tends to be completely jammed with people sitting, waiting for parking spots to open up rather than circling around to the other, almost completely empty side.

It was actually my first time doing that maneuver.  Traffic was building and our follower pulled up alongside us saying he needed gas.  Remembering the US 1 signs within the welcome center, we got off, went through the car side which was jam packed, wasn't sure if you could get to the cut-over from the truck parking, which we later found out you can.  And of course, once we turned onto Rt 1 North, we couldn't find a gas station until about 1/4 mile from the turnpike access road in York.  But at least traffic on Rt 1 was moving (40mph-ish), vs the 10 mph on the turnpike approaching the tolls.

Also the trailblazer on I-95 SB after the York tolls/Exit 7 merge now has a Maine Turnpike shield with it, whereas before it used to just be a I-95 shield.  I believe I read somewhere that the turnpike will eventually take over I-95 maintenance right down to the NH border.  Exit 7 SB signs have also been modified with destinations now changed to YORK / YORK BEACH, from THE YORKS / THE BERWICKS. 

[Mergingtraffic]

Any pics?

[shadyjay]

No, unfortunately.  I did have my camera ready to see if the Connecticut Turnpike (I-395) SB signage for the Plainfield service plaza had changed at all since the plaza was rebuilt, and the signage remains the same.... REST AREA with a MOBIL logo.  Given all of I-395's signage is going to be replaced starting next year, I guess they're not even going to bother adding Subway and Dunkin' Donuts logos 'til then.  NB signage still says "REST AREA - GAS-FOOD", which I guess is as accurate as the sign has been since it was installed.  Prior to rebuilding, these plazas just had Mobil gas and a Mobilmart.